Season of Change
by Nauki Yasha
Summary: Inu-Yasha and Kagome are looking for a shard of the Sacred Jewel. Kagome senses something during the winter, out in the middle of nowhere. What is it that they find that causes Inu-Yasha to realize the cold realities of life?
1. Kagome's Awareness

Chapter One  
  
Kagome sighed as they walked in the snow. *The snow is so pretty when it has just fallen.* She glanced at Inu-Yasha who had small snowflakes in his long silver hair. *Even Inu-Yasha looks like he's at peace in this enchanted silhouette of heaven.* Kagome smiled absently, not realizing she was staring at him. "Huh?" He turned around giving her a funny look. Inu-Yasha raised a brow at her, wondering what in the heck she was smiling at him for. *Do I have leaves in my hair or something? Why is she looking at me like that?!* He kept his brow raised as Kagome stared at him. "How long is it going to take you to snap out of that rediculous dream so we can keep moving?" Kagome blinked. *Sometimes...even Inu-Yasha can be an idiot drowning in the stupidity around him...* "Rediculous? How do you know it was a rediculous dream?!" "Pfeh." He rolled his eyes. "If you were fantasizing about it, it has to be rediculous." He crossed his arms turning away from her, thinking the matter was settled. Just as he started to walk away from her, Kagome got her revenge. "SIT!" His eyes widened just as he heard the word he hated the most. Before he could curse her for saying it, he fell. Kagome skipped by him as he lay covered in snow. "If you're going to rest for a while, I'll just go on ahead." She walked off hearing the faint sound of growling behind her. As he watched her go, Inu-Yasha gritted his teeth as he sat up. He shook the snow off, his face red with anger. *Who does she think she is, saying that word when she pleases?!* Up ahead on the chosen path, Kagome was standing, listening to a small group of tiny birds in the trees. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth of the distant sun warm her body. When she opened her eyes again, Inu-Yasha was standing in front of her, his arms crossed, eyes narrowed. "What?" "What?...What..?" He gasped. "Is that all you're going to say after you say that foul, cursed word?!" He growled, his ears slightly back. "Oh. You mean...'sit'?" "AHH!" He fell again, looking up at her, glaring. "Oh...sorry." She watched him get up, looking into his eyes. *He is still handsome, even for a half-demon with a bad attitude.* Before making the matter worse, Inu-Yasha decided to be quiet, for once. He started walking ahead again, not wanting to fall on his cold rear for a third time. He had to give her credit-she knew when to shut him up. Hours passed without either of them saying a word. Kagome was starting to think he was going to stay mad at her forever. She wanted to apologize to him, but it was practically pointless since he wouldn't listen. Still, she peeked glances of him when he wasn't looking behind him to see if she was still following. The sun was starting to fade when Inu-Yasha abruptly stopped. Kagome tilted her head at him. She pulled on his sleeve. "What's wrong?" He closed his eyes, not answering for a moment. "Inu..Yasha.," she said almost to a whisper. He opened his eyes again. "I hear breathing." He cocked his head, his ears twitching, trying to get better reception. "Breathing..? But...who would be way out here?" She got closer to him, slightly afraid, not wanting to believe it was a demon. She couldn't handle a demon right now with her body frozen stiff from the cold. "I..don't know, but whatever it is, it's small and distant." He sniffed the air trying to gain any information from the woods around them. All Kagome could see was the white snow and trees. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, but a demon, even if only half, could easily tell if something was wrong. Inu-Yasha had improved hearing, fighting skills, and scent ability. He could easily track anyone, or anything that was hiding nearby. Absentmindly, Inu-Yasha started to follow the distant breathing that he heard. His brows were furrowed in confusion, not really sure what it was. He sniffed the air, but wasn't able to gain any information from it. He couldn't smell anything, but snow and trees. *I don't see anything in the trees. No birds are here, which is strange. I don't see any footprints, so that rules that out.* He looked around again, scanning the area. "Maybe I'm just going crazy," he said to himself. He wasn't aware that Kagome was behind him. "You're not crazy, Inu-Yasha. If you heard something, then you heard something. I've learned to trust your instincts in the long run." She looked around also, just in case he missed something. He glanced back at her, kind of surprised at the credence in her voice. *Like I care that she trusts me...* He turned his gaze back, trying to focus on something not seen. Kagome watched his confusion. She closed her eyes, her heart unconsciously opening to whatever was out there. She prayed it wasn't a demon, or something else that would harm them. Kagome gasped slightly, sensing the faint, shallow breathing of a small form. She began to focus on the being, only aware of it and nothing else. The form started to constitute in her mind. It was high up in the air, stuck in a place where no one would have been able to find it. She opened her eyes. Inu-Yasha was staring at her, unsure of what she had sensed. He didn't want to ask, for she looked distraught. He only waited for her to tell him. Kagome breathed out slowly, not believing what she thought it was she was sensing. Her face became pale. Inu-Yasha walked towards her slowly. He touched her hand lightly. "Kagome?" He leaned down a little, nudging her forehead with his nose. She snapped out of it. Kagome inhaled sharply, swallowing hard. Her face flustered for a moment, not able to meet his concerned gaze. "What was it?" Kagome looked off, staring past him, beginning to talk as if in a dream. "I sensed...a small heart beating ever so faintly..It's awful. It's..so weak...unable to move, or gain consciousness..." Tears started to form in her eyes. She put the palm of her hand to her forehead as she tried to gain control of the numb sickness that was beginning to swallow her. Inu-Yasha wrapped his arms around her gently, comforting her. He rested his chin on her head, looking off into the distance. "Do you know where it's coming from?" He looked down at her. She nodded faintly. "I think I can pinpoint it." He turned around, lowering himself. "Hop on. We'll see if we can't find out what it is." Kagome jumped onto his back, putting her arms around his neck. She still couldn't get over what she had sensed. "It was..coming from way over there." She pointed southeast. Inu-Yasha started to run as fast as he could, his ears aleart, as well as his eyes. So far, he didn't see anything. The cold wind whipped past them, creating chills down Kagome's back. She huddled closer to Inu- Yasha , faintly thinking of the presence again. It was some time before Kagome looked up. "Inu-Yasha, slow down, we're getting closer!" Inu-Yasha slowed down to a jog, going in the same direction. All of a sudden, he started to skid, slowing down even faster. Kagome stayed very still. The air around them was like death lingering. She dared not breathe. "What...is it..?" He lowered himself, wanting her to get off. She did. He closed his eyes, smelling the air strongly. "I smell blood." Kagome gasped, looking around. "From..w-where..?" She watched as he moved his head up, his eyes searching. "From up there. Somewhere." He looked back at her, giving her a serious look. "Don't move unless I tell you to. I don't know what it is." Kagome nodded. She watched as he hopped onto a branch of one of the trees. He kept hopping up, looking around and sniffing at the same time. It was very far up in the trees. Inu-Yasha continued until he smelled the blood nearby. He looked around quickly in case something decided to attack him. The sight that caught his eyes stopped him in his tracks. "What..the..?" He was shocked and horrified at the same time. The wind around him seemed to get colder. He cautiously approached the thing hanging upside-down from a branch far up in one of the trees. The closer he got, the angrier he became. He had no idea who had done this. Inu-Yasha stopped four feet from the dead child. She was hanging upside-down, her left ankle caught in an animal trap. Blood was flowing down her leg onto her clothes. He walked a little closer, sniffing out of habit. Ever so carefully, he grabbed hold of the chain, pulling her closer to him. He flexed his hand, getting extremely angry at whoever had done this. "Steel revered, soul stealer!" The chain popped. He caught the other half of the chain before the girl fell. Inu-Yasha brought the chain up to his face. He carefully held the girl in his arms, cradling her as he stared in horror. He could feel her chest moving up and down slowly. She was still alive. Inu-Yasha pulled as hard as he could, breaking the trap that was fitted around her ankle. The wound was extensive. He didn't know how long she had been hanging up there, but he could make out that it had been a long time. He tore one of his sleeves, fastening a bandage around the girl's leg. Inu-Yasha looked at her sadly, exaimining the girl. She appeared to be about the age of five years-old. Her hair was brown and shaped in a strange style. She had long bangs like him-the length around her head short to the tips of her ears-all except two long strands hanging down from her ears; much like his. Her clothes were torn rags. She wore no sandels. Inu-Yasha touched her face lightly. She didn't move. He got closer to her, nudging her lightly on the cheek with his nose. "Please, be okay," he whispered. The girl moved a little, but not much. Inu-Yasha's heart skipped a beat. He quickly gathered her into his arms again, holding her tightly as he jumped down from the branch to the ground. He ran as fast as he could towards Kagome who was still standing where he had left her. The expression on her face was of utter shock. Before she could utter a word, he yelled, "KAGOME! HOP ON!" Kagome hopped onto his back as quick as she could, almost falling off. She stared in complete disbelief at the unconscious child he held in his arms. Her heart started to sink realizing that was the prescence she had felt. Inu-Yasha ran at full pace with the girl in his arms. He was heading back to the village where he knew Kaede would be waiting. Their trip for the fragments of the Sacred Jewel were going to have to wait. Kagome held on for dear life, the wind whipping around them. "What about the shard I sensed?" He glanced back at her, then jumped over a fallen tree. He clutched the girl in his arms tighter. "The shard is not important right now! She needs my help far greater than some stupid jewel!" Kagome nodded silently. *I can't believe his concern for her.* She found it very touching. It also brought to her awareness that Inu-Yasha was changing. 


	2. Inuyasha's Concern

Chapter Two  
  
Inu-Yasha ran through the woods, the snow crackling under his feet. His mind was focused on the path ahead. The sun had gone down forty minutes ago. Kagome tried to hide herself behind him as the air had gotten much colder. She knew she had no reason to complain because he was the one getting blasted head on. Kagome closed her eyes wanting to go to sleep. She could hear Inu- Yasha's teeth chattering as the chills ran all over his body. He was pushing himself to the limits trying his best to get back to the village before it got any colder. Kagome felt him slowing down. He stopped. His heart was racing and his chest was heaving. Inu-Yasha didn't know if he could go any furhter. He didn't realize Kagome had jumped down and was standing in front of him. She touched his face lightly. She could tell he was worn out. He opened his eyes, looking at her tiredly. Catching his breath, he looked down at the child in his arms, then back up at Kagome. She opened her arms, smiling at him. She knew Inu-Yasha couldn't go any further. He nodded to her, uncradling the girl and placing her in Kagome's arms. "T-try to g-get there b-before i-it gets a-any c-colder," he said, his teeth chattering. She nodded again as she watched him standing in the moonlight. The snow was falling over him. Kagome looked into his golden slit eyes, her heart dancing a little as she became fixated on him. She blinked her eyes, snapping out of it. "Are you going to be alright," she asked him, concerned. He raised his brow. "I can handle it, Kagome, I'm a demon..." She smiled embarassingly. "Sorry..I forgot," was all she could manage to say. She turned around quickly, leaving the awkward situation behind. Inu-Yasha watched Kagome take off in the direction of the village. He crouched to the ground, his heart still beating fairly fast. "Thank you, Kagome," he whispered tiredly. ************************************************************************* "Kaede! Kaede!" Kagome was out of breath as she ran to the old woman's hut. She almost fell in the snow as the night pressed on. Kaede moved aside the blanket that was covering the doorway. She squinted her eyes into the night, thinking that she recognized the voice. "Whose there?" "It's me, Kagome! We need your help!" Kaede walked outside as Kagome fell onto the small steps, looking up at the old woman. "Why child, whatever is the matter?" She gasped seeing the small girl inside Kagome's arms. "Kagome, where did yon girl come from?" "Inu-Yasha found her in the forest miles from here. She was hanging upside-down up in a tree with a trap fitted around her ankle," she panted. "Upside-down in a tree? Hurry," she waved Kagome inside, "We must get her warm." Inside, Kaede took the child, laying her on a soft pallet on the floor. She examined the girl carefully, putting her hand to her forehead to see if she had a fever. Surprisingly, she did not. "I do not understand why this girl is not hot to the touch. She should have a fever. Her color is pale, but that can be easily fixed." Kaede asked Kagome to pour some hot water into a small bowl and bring her a rag. Kagome watched as the old woman placed the hot rag onto the girl's forehead. She sat down on the other side, looking carefully at the young girl with the unusual hair. "I don't understand how..someone could have done that to her.." "I do not either, child. It is very unusual for Inu-Yasha to have sensed her at the distance ye have told me. But..I suppose...it is because he is half-demon." Kaede thought to herself about the girl. "How did these marks get on her ankle?" The old woman touched the wound carefully. As she did so, the girl moved slightly. "That's where the trap was fitted," Kagome said. "Why would anyone do such a thing to a child? It is most dreadful." Kaede put a blanket on the girl. "She is going to need her rest. It is most fortunate that ye two found her when she did. If she had stayed out in this weather overnight, she would have died before morning." Kagome nodded slowly, the numb feeling she had felt earlier, coming back to her body. "How..could anyone do this..?" ************************************************************************* Hours later, he managed to make it to Kaede's hut. He was frozen, chills running up and down his body. As Inu-Yasha walked inside, he saw an oil light burning. The girl he had found, was wrapped up in a blanket, lying on the floor. Kagome was fast asleep next to the girl, her arms cradling the child. He smiled a little as he sat down on the other side of Kagome. His teeth chattered as he began to shake off the snow. Kagome opened her eyes, almost jumping out of her skin. She wasn't sure who was doing the movement. When she saw it was Inu-Yasha, she relaxed and smiled at him. "I thought you said you could handle the cold." "Shut up." He closed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest, then looked out of the corner of his eye at her. She had a big smile on her face. "Aren't you freezing?" She had a worried look on her face. Inu-Yasha sat up straighter, emphasizing how much of a demon he was. "I told you I can handle it." Kagome grabbed one of his claws, feeling how cold he was. Before he could mutter a word, she pulled him towards her. "I don't care how macho you pretend to be, you're freezing. If you don't get warm, you're going to catch pneumonia." She threw her blanket around him. "What's pneumonia?" He tilted his head at her, not really paying attention to the blanket now around him, or how Kagome was pressed against him. "It's a disease that you get when you are cold and can't get warm. Your lungs get full of fluid, then you have trouble breathing. It literally, suffocates you, and you die from it." He didn't like the sound of that. "Um...Kagome..?" "Hmmmm?" "I'm really freezing," he looked up at her slowly. She put her arms around his neck as he pressed his cold nose into her throat, closing his eyes. He breathed in deeply as they drifted off to sleep.  
  
The next morning, Inu-Yasha woke to find Kagome leaning over the little girl. She was running her hand down the side of her face, looking at her with a sad expression. The girl was still unconscious. He sat up slowly, getting the same expression on his face. He had never been around children, but was worried about this particular one for some unknown reason. Inu-Yasha could not figure out what had drawn him to the girl in the first place. He crawled slowly to Kagome, leaning slightly over, examining the girl himself. "Is..she..alright?" His voice cracked, sounding somewhat hoarse. Kagome nodded. "She's fine. She just..hasn't woken up yet." She ran her hand through the girl's hair. She furrowed her brows in confusion, the girl's hair felt much like silk. "Her hair is so..soft," she said in awe. Inu-Yasha was very curious. He watched Kagome's reaction to the girl. *She's watching over her as if she were her mother.* He raised a brow slowly then looked back to the small child. Unexpectedly, he knelt down, nudging the girl's chin with his nose. The girl moved a little, but did not wake up. He bit his lower lip, nudging her again. Again, she moved. Kagome was finding it strange that he could touch her, and she would move, but would not stir on her own. Nor did she make any sort of noise. Kagome carefully ran her fingers through the girl's bangs as Inu-Yasha looked on. The girl moved her head in the direction of Kagome's presence. "I think she knows I'm here." Inu-Yasha cocked his head slightly. "How does she know you're here, " he asked softly. "I don't know...but..she does." Kagome ran her fingers along the girl's cheek. "She's so beautiful, Inu-Yasha..." 


	3. Dream of Reality

Chapter Three  
  
That night, Inu-Yasha helped Kagome change the dressing on the girl's ankle. He examined the wound. It looked better, but it was going to remain a nasty scar. As he tied the bandage around the girl's ankle, he felt someone's eyes watching him. He looked up very slowly to see Kagome watching him with satisfaction. "What are you staring at?" "Just watching you. You remind me so much of how my mom takes care of me and Sota." He sat up gently, looking down kind of embarassed. He hadn't realized he was performing the duties of a parent. Kagome smiled faintly, dreaming. "It's okay, I didn't mean anything by it." "I know you didn't. I just..don't know if I'd be a good parent. That is..if someone would want to..um...," he broke off. He was thinking of what it would be like to have children of his own. Inu-Yasha wondered who would be by his side. "Well, regardless of what you think, you're doing a very good job. No one said there was a right, or wrong way of parenting. It's all in the heart," she said covering up the girl. Inu-Yasha thought about what her words meant. He nodded absently, guessing she was right. He would have to find out in the future. His heart ached slightly, wanting to tell Kagome how much he cherished her. However, the past kept rearing its ugly head. Inu-Yasha slammed the entrance to his heart closed. Kagome yawned. She stretched out on the pallet that Kaede had made for her. She started to close her eyes slowly. Kagome found herself absentmindly watching his reaction to the little girl. When he fell asleep, Inu-Yasha was sitting upright with his head buried in his knees. At first, he slept soundly the dreams coming and going, not staying for long. When his dreams changed, he stirred in his sleep, mrrphing a bit. The visions that he saw were dark, frightening images of shadows of beings that he couldn't make out. He whirled around in his dream. The landscape was hard, desolate, and barren. Inu-Yasha's ears perked up, listening for the cold silence that was swallowing him. The sky was dark, lightening flickered above him. He expected to hear thunder, but none came. Inu-Yasha turned around slowly, feeling something watching him. There was nothing behind him. He relaxed a little, realizing he was having an unusual nightmare. In this nightmare, there were no villians, or scarey noises to frighten him. It was quite unusual. He crossed his arms, scowling a bit at the dream. He was half demon, and knew nothing could scare him. Inu-Yasha closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He wasn't aware that his heart was opening to the world around him. A faint whimpering sought itself to his ears. He opened his eyes, wondering where it was coming from. At first, the noise did not bother him, but he soon began to realize that it was a child whimpering. He began to follow the sound, walking carefully on the illusional ground. Inu-Yasha passed boulders of rocks with dead flowers in the cracks. The whimpeering was getting stronger in a sense, but softer in another sense. The farther he walked, the more he could make out the vision of a child sitting down with its knees brought up to its face, as if trying to block out the world around it. Inu-Yasha approached cautiously, having no idea if it was a trap. He did not sense anything wrong with the child, except he had a strange feeling that it was trapped in that spot. He came within a few feet of the child. She looked up, tears running down her face at the half demon in front of her. At first, she was scared, but managed to control her fear. Inu-Yasha gasped a little, the girl in his dream reminding him of the child he had found in the forest. The child wiped her eyes, sniffling. She tilted her head at him, looking up then down. She closed her eyes, her ears alert. The sound she heard reminded her of a sound she had been following for a long time. A sound she had lost, or had been taken away from. She opened her eyes again, carefully holding out her hand wanting to touch him. He walked towards her, feeling the need to protect her. The ground underneath his feet began to crackle and split. He shot back instantly, shocked as he watched the ground quake. Inu-Yasha quickly looked back up at the girl who was crying again, her hand outstretched, desperation evident on her face. He started to run towards her, the ground beginning to break violently under his feet. "I'm coming," he yelled at her. Just as the words were uttered, the ground underneath the child cracked and she started to fall through the ground, towards the darkness. Inu-Yasha jumped, sliding onto his stomach with his hand outstretched. He managed to grab her wrist before she fell into the void. For some odd reason, he could not pull her up. The void around her was drawing her in. He grunted with effort as he tried with an unseen force to pull her up. "Hold..on..," he said through clenched teeth. The girl's face held many emotions. She was shocked that she was falling, yet realived that he had caught her. He noted the sad expression on her face as she started to slip. "No..." He clenched his teeth shut, his eyes closed, trying once again to pull her to safety. The darkness around him slammed into his body, wanting him to drop her. Inu-Yasha opened his eyes, he was fixed on the beautiful eyes the child had. Her sparkling purple eyes danced in front of his face, drawing him closer as he was only three feet away. The girl began to slip more. He struggled to gain a hold of her. His chest started to hurt, his heart beating fast with frustration and determination. The girl screamed a horrified cry as her hand parted from his. Inu-Yasha's eyes widened. He was not aware that he was crying, or that blood was pouring from his chest. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. The shock and horror on her face stung his very soul. As she began to disappear into the darkness, he screamed her name. She felt someone holding her. It was the same heartbeat that she used to hear when she was little. She remembered how the sound of it comforted her where she was. In the darkness she could sense it, she welcomed it. However, she never sought it out for fear that they would catch her. Once she had tried to find the sound when it had grown quiet, but had met with consequences for her action. They approached her asking her what she was looking for. They could sense her stretching out beyond the darkness she lived in, trying to find her way back to the light. Because of this, they had bound her. They refused to let her live among them any longer. Rushiko, a heidious demon with a large muzzle, ugly face, overbearing fangs, claws, height, and stench had taken her from the demon world. He had bound her upside-down on a large plant she had never seen, in a world she knew nothing of. She had watched in fear as he clasped something sharp and shiny around her ankle. It had hurt and she had wanted to cry, but if he had, he would have tortured her. He had left her there, laughing as she stared in horror at the distant ground. For hours, she had tried to make any sort of noise possible. Unfortuantly, the demons had not taught her how to speak, or scream. All she could do was cry, for crying was silent. She didn't have any idea of time. All she knew was that the darkness passed over her many times before the bright light came. the light hurt her eyes. Hope seemed to fade the longer she stayed in the air, hanging about. The air around her had gotten colder. She shivered off and on, the rags she wore giving her no comfort. She remembered closing her eyes, feeling very fatigued. *I'm not where I was before..* Looking around, she had noticed the gray clouds in the sky. In her world, there were dark clouds with flashes of lightening embedded in them. This world seemed much more peaceful. She bit her lower lip, blinking her eyes. *If I'm not where I was..maybe I can call what I sensed when I was sad.* She outstretched her senses, searching all around her for any kind of a sign of the sound she had heard before. Everything seemed empty. She started crying again, rubbing her eyes. *I'm not going to be able to find it again.* The girl cried even harder, her heart sinking in her chest. Innocence and betrayl plagued her. The more she thought about how alone she was, the more afraid she became. For a short while, she thought she felt something reaching out to her. She looked around tiredly not able to grasp what was trying to communicate with her. It had been seven times since the darkness had came to greet her. She had had no food, or any water in that amount of time. With the last bit of hope that etched at the back of her mind, she reached out as far as she could to the thing that was communicating with her. All of her emotions were sent far off in the direction of the presence she had felt. The girl had nothing left to give. Her energy had left her the moment she had sent the wave of her spiritual energy.  
  
Now someone was holding her. Someone she recognized, but didn't know the face of. She sensed another sound, much like the one she had felt in the woods. Could the two sounds she heard be completely different? One she was very sure was the one that comforted her in the demon world. The other, was the one from the forest. The girl wanted to open her eyes, but was afraid. She knew nothing of this world, and had literally, been thrown into it. She whimpered slightly wondering if she chose to open her eyes, would the sounds she heard, hurt her? Inu-Yasha heard her whimper. He tilted his head at her, his ears alert. He sensed the girl was afraid to open her eyes. "Why are you scared? I'm not going to hurt you." He nudged her cheek with his nose, watching her. She whimpered again. This time she heard the sound speak to her. *It talked to me.* She was trying to decide if it was wise to open her eyes. In the demon world, the sound was always with her. Then the demons took it away from her. Now she had found it again. Or..it had found her. The girl was curious to whom held the face of the sound that she had been hearing. She moved her right hand up towards the being, feeling around. She felt clothing. Was it like her? She felt around some more, her small hand brushing past long, soft hair. Inu-Yasha watched the girl move her hand up towards his face. He was slightly worried, but relaxed once he realized she was trying to find out what he was. He closed his eyes, the touch of the girl's hand warm against his skin. She touched a chin, then a nose. Her hand moved farther up, feeling the contours of the face. The being had the same features as her. There was no muzzle, no horns, nothing she had seen in the demon world. Inu-Yasha bent down towards the girl's face, nudging her nose with his. He watched as the little girl opened her eyes very slowly to look at him. His golden slit eyes befell upon her sparkling, purple eyes. A warm feeling spread across his chest as if he knew who she was. He stayed still, not wanting to frighten her. *She's...the girl from my dream.* He breathed softly, slightly afraid that she would fall back into the void she had came from. The child looked back at him, not speaking. She tilted her head at him, recognizing him from somewhere. *I know him. He tried to rescue me.* She smiled at him faintly, moving her hand along his cheek. Inu-Yasha blinked his eyes at her, completely stunned. Something had brought this girl here. The warmth in his chest started to spread throughout his body. He had never felt anything like this before. Playfully, the girl touched his nose pressing in a bit. He tilted his head again at her. "You're certainly playful," he said watching her. Again, she cocked her head at him. She noticed his golden eyes at that moment. She wasn't scared. She thought his eyes were very pretty. Examining him more, she saw the tips of his ears. *He's part demon.* She blinked her eyes. He caught her looking at his ears and shrank back some. Inu-Yasha lowered his head, not able to look at the girl. He felt her move a little. The girl bit his right ear, pulling him back towards her. She tugged at his kimono, wanting him to look at her. When he glanced up, she licked his cheek gently. This made him look good and hard at her, a confused expression on his face. "You're...not scared of me, are you?" He tugged one of the long tresses by her ears. She shook her head at him, pulling on one of his in return. She nudged his cheek with her nose, wrapping her arms around his neck. Inu-Yasha was slightly taken aback by the affection in the little girl. Was she aware that it was him who rescued her from the trap she had been set in? He wasn't really sure. "Do you have a name?" He wrapped his claws around her back as he felt her nod. "What's your name little one?" She looked at him with a blank expression. Before he could question her mood, she laid her head over his heart, closing her eyes. She was falling asleep on him, her little fingers scratching at his chest. Inu-Yasha rested his cheek on the top of her head as he stared off. He knew her name. It was the same name he remembered screaming as she had fallen in front of his eyes in the dream. He held her tighter. He was having an unusual recognition about the girl. Inu-Yasha knew her, and then again, he didn't. Who she was, or what she was, was completely foggy in his mind. As he drifted off to sleep, he rubbed his cheek against her head, closing his eyes. "Good night, Nauki," he whispered, drifting off to protect her even in her dreams. 


	4. Recovery

Chapter 4  
  
Kagome awoke to a sight she would have never thought to see in her entire life. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes, thinking it would vanish. Moving closer to Inu-Yasha, she smiled, her heart warm with emotion. He was sleeping on his rear, cradling the little girl whom they had found in the forest. Inu-Yasha's head was laid on top of hers, his eyes closed, breathing deeply as his claws held onto her. The girl's head was laying on his chest, her small hand scratching at him as she slept soundly. Kagome didn't want it to end. Ever since they had found the child, Inu-Yasha had been acting a lot differently. His mind was only fixed on the girl's well-being, and he had been taking care of her much like her father. Kagome was hoping that he would change, to learn to love children. She knew he had never been around them much before. The rememberance of Inu-Yasha's tortured past haunted her for a moment. He had been so abused and alone when he was younger. Just as she was sitting there thinking, Inu-Yasha opened his eyes, yawning big. He blinked his sleepy eyes a few times, until they focused on Kagome. She was smiling at him in a way he had never seen before. He tilted his head. "Huh? Why are you smiling?" "She woke up," Kagome asked as she tried to contain the smile. Her mind still fixed on Inu-Yasha roleplaying a father in the middle of the night. "What are you talking about," he asked. He had forgotten about his dream and who he was holding in his lap. Kagome pointed to the little girl in his lap. "She woke up," she asked again. Inu-Yasha looked down at the child in his arms. "Oh, yeah. Yeah, she did." He got kind of embarassed because he was showing care for the girl. Just as his face flushed, the child started to wake up. She blinked her eyes, then turned around, her small eyes looking at Kagome. "Her..eyes..." Kagome didn't mean to be rude to the little girl. She watched as the child turned around, whimpering, as she hid her face on Inu- Yasha's chest. "Kagome, that was kind of harsh. You frightened her," Inu-Yasha said as he nudged the girl's head with his nose, trying to make her look at him. Kagome watched as he ran his claw through the back of the girl's head. "I..didn't mean to. I'm sorry." Kagome watched the girl look back around at her, cautiously. The child was afraid of her, even though, she was human and Inu-Yasha was a demon. "I didn't mean to offend you about your eyes. I've never seen purple eyes before. It's unusual." "No, she's unique," Inu-Yasha said, correcting her. Kagome looked up at him sadly, knowing she was hurting the girl's feelings. "Yes, you're eyes are very pretty. Do you have a name?" "Her name is Nauki," Inu-Yasha said. He looked back down at the girl who was watching him. "She told you her name?" Kagome watched him shake his head. "No, not exactly. I just know that that's her name," Inu-Yasha said, not able to explain it. He didn't want Kagome to think he was crazy. "You just know?" Kagome didn't understand either. Inu-Yasha looked up at her, giving her a mean look, hinting to her not to ask him anything further. He picked Nauki up, then placed her in Kagome's lap. "I need to fix her something to eat. She hasn't eaten in a long time." Kagome looked at the girl as Nauki looked back at her, her body tense. "I'm not going to hurt you," she told her. She looked back up at Inu- Yasha. "How long do you think it has been since she's eaten?" "By the feel of her bones, I'd say almost two weeks." He looked back at Nauki sadly. The girl's eyes were only half-open. She was almost too weak to stay awake. "Two weeks?" Kagome couldn't believe it. She held the girl, her hands feeling on her back. Kagome could feel Nauki's spine poking out from her skin. Sadness crept over her face. "Inu-Yasha, she's so weak.." "I know," he said, looking away, not wanting to show the emotions that were on his face. He walked off, towards the back of the hut. Inu- Yasha started to prowl around through Kaede's things. He had to find some food for the girl, something that wouldn't upset her stomach. Kagome set Nauki on the floor, then she crawled over to her backpack. She always brought small snacks to eat on her travels with Inu-Yasha. She smiled a little. "I forgot that I had brought this." She crawled back over to Nauki, unwrapping the riceball. "I know you've got to be famished. Try this." She tore off a piece of it, then placed it into Nauki's mouth. The girl started to chew the strange food slowly, then swallowed it. Kagome was pleased. She kept tearing off small amounts and putting the rice into the child's mouth. The girl kept chewing it, then swallowing it. She had no idea where Inu-Yasha had gone. Before she knew it, Nauki started to grab her stomach, closing her eyes. Inu-Yasha walked back in. "Just about done, I've got some broth cooking from the leftover stew that Kaede had made last night." He paused. "Kagome, what did you feed her?" "Just this. Why?" Kagome held up half of the rice ball. She watched as Inu-Yasha's eyes widened. He walked to her fast, grabbing the rice ball from her hand. Kagome looked up at him stunned. "Kagome, you can't feed her this! Rice will hurt her stomach! She needs something that is light and easy to digest!" Inu-Yasha looked at her angrily. Kagome shouted at him. "I didn't know! I was just trying to help!" Inu-Yasha lowered his arm. His eyes softened. "I know you were trying to help, but Nauki can't handle the rice. That's why she's holding her stomach." Nauki's stomach hurt. She didn't know what to think about it. Before it was empty and made her feel sick. Now it was full and she felt sick, too. The girl's stomach started to tighten. Before she knew it, she vomited on Kagome's blouse. Kagome's eyes widened. She screamed. "Ew, gross!" Kagome started to bat the vomit off of her blouse. Nauki looked up at her, thinking she was in trouble. She started to cry. Kaede came in, her old ears picking up Kagome's scream. "Kagome, are thee alright?" She watched as Kagome batted her blouse. She was even more shocked when Inu-Yasha picked the little girl up, then sat down, turning his back to Kagome, protecting the child from her. "Hmm?" "I tried to give her rice. Inu-Yasha said Nauki couldn't hold the rice, then she threw up on me. It's so gross!" "Kagome, the child has not eaten in days," Kaede said, kneeling down. "Weeks," Inu-Yasha corrected her. Nauki continued to cry. "Did that mean, old Kagome scare you?" He held the girl tightly, patting her back. "Don't worry, Little One, I won't let her bother you." Inu-Yasha gave Kagome a mean glance. Kaede couldn't believe what she was hearing and watching. The half- demon was protecting the child from Kagome. Inu-Yasha had been taking care of the girl for the past few days. It was most bizarre for him, to the extreme. Inu-Yasha got up, carrying Nauki to the next room. As he did, Kagome started to take her blouse off with Kaede's help. As she changed her blouse, Kagome looked at the floor. "I didn't mean to make her vomit," she said. "It's alright, Kagome. Ye meant no harm. Ye just did not know any better," Kaede said, taking the dirty blouse from her. "I have never seen Inu-Yasha so concerned about a child before. What is it about this one that makes her so special?" She turned around. "I will clean ye blouse for ye, Kagome." She walked out of the hut. Kagome walked slowly into the next room where Inu-Yasha was sitting near the pot of broth boiling in the pot. She sat down a few feet from him. "I'm sorry, Inu-Yasha. I didn't mean to hurt her." "I know you didn't. You didn't know any better." He ran his fingers through Nauki's hair again as the girl watched the flames of the fire. "When someone has had an episode of starvation, their stomach shrinks and clenches up. In order to expand the stomach and not upset it, that person has to start eating again, slowly. If anything large is put in, the body rejects it. It can't handle it." Kagome watched Inu-Yasha lift the pot from the rod it was on. He slowly poured the broth into the bowl. "I need you to hold her while I try to feed her." Kagome came closer. She picked up the girl, letting Nauki rest her head onto her chest. "She doesn't seem to mind us being around her," Kagome noticed. She glanced up at Inu-Yasha, his mind was deep in thought. He turned back around with the bowl in his claw. Inu-Yasha blew on the fluid, cooling it off for the girl. "Alright, Little One, I need you to eat this." He reached up with his other claw, shaking her shoulder some until she opened her eyes to look at him tiredly. Inu-Yasha put the bowl to the girl's mouth. He watched as she opened her mouth, swallowing the broth. He waited. "Did she take it?" Kagome watched as he nodded. "Maybe she is arlight now." Nauki vomited again, she whimpered. Inu-Yasha looked at her sadly. "Why can't she take it? It's not heavy like the rice," Kagome said, rubbing Nauki's back. "Her system is failing. She's dying," Inu-Yasha said as Nauki closed her eyes. Her body was doing an automatic shutdown. She had gone too long without food. "Inu-Yasha, we can't let her die," Kagome said angrily, a tear dropping from her eye. "It's not fair for her to be mistreated like we found her, and then die from someone's cruel joke!" Inu-Yasha lifted the bowl to his mouth. He sipped some of it, then held it. Kagome watched as he leaned foreward, nudging Nauki's mouth. The girl opened her mouth. He passed the food to her, then ran his finger down her throat, forcing her to swallow. Inu-Yasha started to repeat the process. He wasn't going to let her die without a fight. Nauki slept soundly for an hour after Inu-Yasha had force fed her. Kagome looked up at him. "How did you know to do that?" "It's the same method with animals. Mothers have to regurgitate food, in order, for their young to eat. It's no different," Inu-Yasha explained. "Is she going to be alright now?" "I don't know. I'll keep an eye on her," he volunteered. Kagome looked at her watch. "Inu-Yasha, I have to go. I have school tomorrow." Inu-Yasha reached out his arms, plucking Nauki from her. He got up to walk Kagome to the other room. She watched as he laid Nauki down on the pallet, covering her up. "Do you want me to walk you to the well?" "No, I'll be fine," Kagome said, watching him still. "I'd rather you take care of her. She needs you." Kagome smiled at him as he looked up at her. "Are you sure you'll be alright?" "Yeah, I'll be fine, Lord Inu-Yasha," Kagome said putting her hands on her hips. "After all, I am twenty now. I'm not as young and immature as I used to be." "The young part I can understand, but the immature part has me confused," he picked on her. Kagome wanted to tell him to sit so badly, but she didn't. She knew he was teasing her. He had to, it was in his bones. "Well, please watch over her. I'll be back tomorrow to check on her." "I will. I promise," he said. Inu-Yasha watched Kagome leave. He stood there in her wake, the small girl asleep on the floor.  
  
Kaede sat on the floor in the other room, the fire going as she stared the floor. The old woman was deep in thought about the girl lying on the pallet. She kept trying to figure out why someone would want to hurt a child. It was of unspeakable torture. Inu-Yasha was also in thought, his mind kept going back to how the girl had been hanging by the ankle, in the tree, above the ground. Two weeks the child had been there. Two weeks in the cold with no food or water. He narrowed his eyes, wishing he could get a hold of whoever had done it. "Inu-Yasha, ye are extremely quiet. What is troubling ye mind?" Kaede stirred the fire with a stick. She glanced up at him as he shook his head. "I just can't get over how someone had left her in the forest during the winter, no less. Two weeks without food and water. And I know she had to have been in pain with her ankle. The scar that she has will remain for the rest of her life." He turned his head to glance at the entranceway to the next room. The girl was still asleep. "It boggles thee as well, Inu-Yasha. What harm could a small child be to anyone?" She narrowed her eyes, her mind going dark for a second as she thought. The girl was a very unusual child, wearing nothing but rags in the middle of winter. "Wherever she has came from, must be warmer than here with the clothes that ye have found her in." "That's another thing...she wears nothing but rags. It's winter outside and very cold. When we found her, the snow had just fallen. She should have been chilled to the bone. Her skin was cold, but not enough like it should have been for a child being out in the cold. I'm surprised she has survived this long." Inu-Yasha said. Nauki woke up, rubbing her eyes. She looked around the room, pushing the pallet off of her. Where was the demon whom had found her, the old woman, and the girl? She glanced around a bit, then sat up. She could hear the half-demon and the old woman talking in the next room. *Are they talking about me?* Her small head tilted to the side. Nauki wanted to get up and go in to see what the big fuss was over. They sounded so distraught and sad. She pushed herself up, then pressed her weight on her scarred ankle. Nauki went to the floor immediatly the pain shooting up her leg. Inu-Yasha heard a thump come from the next room. He got up to go see if the child was up. She was. He walked over to her, crouching, as he peered at her as she held her leg. "You tried to get up didn't you?" Nauki looked back at him. She gritted her teeth at the pain, but didn't want it to seem like she was hurt. The girl reached back, tugging on Inu-Yasha's kimono. She kept pulling on him, until he sat down. "Now what do you want?" Inu-Yasha studied her as she started to growl at him playfully, then grabbed onto the prayer bead necklace, pulling. "I'm too old to play with. Besides, I'm not the type of person you want to play with, Little One. I'm a demon. Little girls don't play with demons." Nauki didn't seem to care, she let go of the necklace then bit onto it with her teeth as she continued to growl at him. Inu-Yasha couldn't believe how persistent she was. *Play with me.* She began to paw at him with her hand, whimpering. "You really want me to play with you, don't you?" Inu-Yasha watched her smile at him for the first time. He started to get on all fours, nudging her forehead as he growled at her. He began to tickle her sides. Nauki laughed. Not knowing what was going on, Kaede came into the doorway. She couldn't believe her eyes. "Hmm?" *Inu-Yasha is playing with the girl.* Her heart softened. The half-demon was learning to care about others, without even realizing it. *If only Kikyo could see how much he has changed.* Nauki reached up, patting his cheeks with her little hands. She cooed at him, then giggled, her purple eyes sparkling at full radiance. She closed her eyes as Inu-Yasha rubbed his nose against her cheek. "You still need to finish your broth," he told her. Inu-Yasha looked up to see Kaede with a surprise on her face, watching them. "Aw, man, am I going to get the heat from you?" "I wouldn't think of bothering ye, Inu-Yasha. I have just never seen ye so concerened about any child before." She smiled at the little girl who was watching her. "Yeah, well, she's had it worse than I've ever seen before. I remember how I was taunted when I was small for what I was, but no one ever did to me what they did to her." He sat back up on his rear. Kaede kept the smile on her face as she went into the other room. It was time for bed. It was getting late. Nauki kicked a little at Inu-Yasha's stomach, wanting him to pay attention to her. He pounced on her, looking her dead in the face. Nauki just cooed at him again, as she grabbed a hold of the prayer bead necklace, tugging more on it. Her little teeth grabbed it so hard, it started to crack. A huge light erupted from the necklace as the small beads clinked on the ground. Inu-Yasha didn't even seem to notice. Nauki thought she was going to get into trouble for breaking the dark necklace. She whimpered some. The girl had broken the spell without even trying. Inu-Yasha looked down at her as he stopped. He figured she was hungry. "Are you hungry?" He watched her shake her head. Nauki was afraid to tell Inu-Yasha what she had done. Her heart started to feel heavy as she looked away for a moment. As she stared off, she began to yawn again. Inu-Yasha bent down, lifting her up. He put Nauki back on the pallet, covering her up. "It's getting late, Little One. It's time to go back to sleep." The girl whimpered. He laid down next to her, watching her. Inu- Yasha needed to coax her into going back to sleep. "Nothing's going to get you while I'm around." He began to rub his claw up and down her back, as he had seen Kagome do a time or two. Nauki felt her eyes drooping. She began to yawn for a third time, holding onto the half-demon with all of her might. As her eyes closed, Inu- Yasha picked her up, laying her on his stomach as he flipped over onto his back. 


	5. Wounded heart

Nauki yawned loudly as she squinted her eyes open. Out of curosity, she sniffed the half-demon she had fallen asleep on. *He's still asleep.* She moved some, lifting her body up as she peered down at him. Her long tresses fell onto his cheeks. Inu-Yasha moved his nose, sniffing. Someone was standing over him and he was not ready to wake up yet. *Aw, I'm still tired. Whose standing over me like that?* His cheeks began to itch. He scratched, moving his head a bit. *Come on, it's time to play. And, I think I'm hungry again.* Nauki leaned down rubbing her nose against his. *Please get up.* She licked the side of his mouth when he mrrphed at her. Inu-Yasha opened his eyes, having forgot about Nauki. He looked at her sleepily, stretching his arms over his head. "Nauki, it's too early to get up." He turned over, throwing her on her side as he closed his eyes again. *Please?* She smiled at him, but realized he was asleep again. *O.k., I can go find my own food. Had to do it before when I was on punishment.* Nauki got up slowly, testing her ankle. It was better today than it had been the past few days that she had been at Kaede's hut. She glanced behind her to see if Inu-Yasha was watching her, but he wasn't. Nauki limped out of the hut. The sun that had came out from the clouds was hurting her eyes. She rubbed them to make them feel better. *I don't know what that bright thing is, but it hurts my eyes.* Nauki sniffed the air. She smelled something in the forest way off. *I hope it's food.* Her stomach growled a complaint. She limped past a few of the villagers who were passing the hut. They didn't bother to give her a second glance. Nauki carefully made her way down the hill. She sniffed at the water that was formed in puddles down from the rice fields. After playing with the water, and seeing herself in it, she started to go towards the forest. The row of dirt that she had to walk on was kind of narrow. Nauki kept peeking over the edge, expecting something to jump out at her. When she came to the forest, she stopped, feeling as if she had been there before. She knew she hadn't, but couldn't get over the feeling she had had. Nauki walked further in, looking around seeing more of the trees, as Kagome had called them. They were huge. Nauki bent down examining the snow. It was cold around her toes. She sniffed at it, wondering what it was. She guessed it was better here than where she had been raised. The ground there was so ashy, and hard. She sniffed the air again, trying to locate the smell she had picked up. Nauki walked further in, passing bushes, twigs and other things. She stopped in front of a large tree. It was strangely familiar to her. Nauki walked up to it, touching it lightly. There were broken vines around the bottom of it, as if something had been held here. She climbed onto one of the vines. Arrows embedded into the tree caught her attention. She cocked her head at them, not knowing what kind of weapons they were. Hopping back down, she took one last glance at the tree before she followed her nose again. She was led some distance from the tree to a bush. There were red things growing on the bushes. She sniffed at them checking to see if they were what she had smelled. They were. *They must be edible.* Nauki started to pick the red weird shaped things on the snow covered bushes. She put them in her torn rags. *He must be up by now.* Nauki made her way back to the tree with the arrows and vines, then followed her nose again. She went past the bushes she had brushed up against, and was led back to the hill. She almost fell down the hill when she pressed on her hurt ankle. *Ow.* Nauki decided to slide down the hill using her right foot to put pressure on. When she made it to the bottom, she made her way back to the dirt path she had crossed. It was some time before she managed to make it back to Kaede's hut. She was so tired. She had never walked that far in her life. There was never anywhere to go where she had lived. When she got back to the hut, she saw the half-demon outside looking around. *What's he looking for?* When he caught sight of her, he scowled. She stopped, wondering if he was going to punish her. "Where have you been?! I've been worried sick!" Inu-Yasha walked up to her, looking down at Nauki. Nauki lowered her eyes, feeling like she was going to cry. She really did like the half-demon and didn't want him mad at her. He had taken care of her, and rescued her from certain death. Inu-Yasha watched as Nauki closed her eyes, lowering her head. She moved her hands slightly, spilling forth the red berries that she had found in the forest. *She picked breakfast?* He was stunned. *Wait a minute, those are poisionous!* Nauki held back the tears. She wasn't even aware that her rags were ruined by the juice. *I don't want him mad at me...* She covered her eyes, not wanting him to see her on the edge of crying. Inu-Yasha crouched in front of her, touching her face lightly. "I was worried because something could have happened to you in the forest." She looked at him slowly between her fingers. "Nauki, come on, I'm not really mad. I promised Kagome that I would watch over you, and I keep my promises." She lowered her hands, sniffling a little. Nauki just looked back at him, unsure about what to do. Inu-Yasha noticed that her rags were ruined. "Aw, your clothes are ruined." He touched the material, knowing the juice wasn't going to come out. "We'll just have to make you some new clothes." *Make me some clothes?* She didn't quite understand. "Leave those there." He pointed. "They're poisionous. You didn't eat any did you?" Nauki shook her head. Inu-Yasha turned his back towards Nauki. "Hop on, little one." She put her hands on his back slowly. *I think he wants me to ride his back.* Nauki hopped up carefully, holding on tight as he got up. *He sure is tall.* Inu-Yasha walked to the hut, going inside. He went into the room with the fire. He felt someone tugging on his hair. "Huh? Oh yeah." He lowered himself letting Nauki off. She tilted her head at him. Inu-Yasha retrieved a bowl that he had covered earlier. He took the cloth off, and stuffed some dumplings into his mouth. Nauki started to smile seeing the juice all over his mouth. "W-What?" Inu-Yasha looked around. He didn't see anything behind him. What was so funny? Nauki got close to him. She licked the juice around his mouth. *It tastes funny.* Inu-Yasha blushed a little. *Something tells me she really likes me, or it's pure innocence.*  
  
After breakfast, he decided to approach Kaede who was working in the village. "Ye plan to make her a kimono, Inu-Yasha?" He knew he was going to get the heat from her. "Look, she ruined her clothes picking berries. Nauki needs a new kimono. She can't go around stark naked!" Kaede bent down to greet a small child. She smiled. "Me thinks ye are acting a bit like her father." She walked off some. Inu-Yasha stood with a dazed look on his face. *Her f-father?* "I'm not acting like anything, old woman! I promised Kagome I'd watch after her, and that's what I'm going to do." "Ye promised to watch over her, Inu-Yasha. Not take care of her. There's a difference." Inu-Yasha crossed his arms. "I don't need this!" "If ye want to get Nauki a new kimono, there is a tailor in a nearby village. Go see him. I can watch her if ye need me to." She looked behind her. Inu-Yasha was already gone.  
  
When Kaede got back to her hut, Nauki was crying. She hobbled inside with her walking stick. "Nauki child, what ailes thee?" Nauki was sitting on her knees on the pallet that her and Inu-Yasha had slept on. Her head was held back, her mouth open, and tears were streaming down her face. She was half-way screaming, and half-way crying. Kaede sat down in front of the girl eyeing her curiously. "Nauki, what ailes thee child?" She bent down towards her. The tears coming from the girl's eyes baffled her. No one had been in the hut. She could not find out what was wrong. Nauki wanted him to come back. She liked him. *Is he mad at me?* She started to scream louder as she cried. Villagers from the area heard her crying, and were standing outside the hut. "What is going on in there," a man asked. "I think Lady Kaede is exercising a demon," said another woman. "It sounds like a child crying," an old woman said. "A child," a baffled woman asked. The old woman nodded. Kaede waited patiently for Nauki to stop crying. After a few minutes, she realized the girl was beyond tantrum mode. "Nauki, will you please tell old Kaede what is wrong?" Nauki shook her head, rubbing at her eyes as she continued to scream. *I want him to come back!* "Please, child. I cannot help ye if thee won't tell me." Kaede smiled at her a llittle, trying to look as pleasant as she could. Before she could ask again, Nauki started screaming, "P-Pa..pa" over and over. Kaede nodded slowly. "Who is your papa, child?" She had no idea who Nauki was really referring to. Nauki pointed out the door, her head turned as she scream-cried. "Papa! Papa!" She threw herself down on the pallet, covering her face when she realized the old woman didn't know who she was talking about. Muffled screams could still be heard. Kaede placed her hand on the child's head. "Calm yourself, my child. We will find him for you." Not believing her, Nauki scream-cried for three hours straight until Inu-Yasha came back.  
  
When he was half a mile from the hut, Inu-Yasha could hear a child screaming. He hopped into one of the trees, sniffing the air. "Good grief, I don't know who her father is, but he's got to feel pretty lousy right about now." Inu-Yasha continued to hop and run the entire way to Kaede's hut. He found out that the closer he got, the closer the screaming was. The villagers scattered when he approached, watching him curiously from afar. "Stupid peasants." He made his way inside. What he saw confused him. The screaming child that he had heard from afar, was Nauki. He tilted his head, completely frozen as he watched her. "It is about time ye got back. She has been crying for ye since ye have left." Kaede got up, turning around to look at him. "M-Mee? But I'm not her father!" He pointed to himself with one nail.  
  
"Tell that to that small child crying for ye, Inu-Yasha. Ye have been the one taking care of her, and she recognizies thee as thus." Kaede walked past him going outside. *Mee..? But, I don't understand. I haven't been around her that long for her to even consider calling me that.* It felt so strange for a child to be attached to him. He appraoched her carefully, setting down the green kimono he had gotten for her. She was still scream-crying as she sat on her rear, with her head back. Inu-Yasha couldn't believe the tears that were flowing down her face. *Aw, man, I didn't think leaving her for a short while would matter.* He sniffed her cautiously. Very slowly, he nudged her chin with his nose. "Nauki," he called her softly. Nauki continued to cry, but moved her head so she could look at him. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying. "Papa," she continued to cry, rubbing her burning eyes. Inu-Yasha bent down. He reached out, touching her eyes. "Hey, it's o.k. I'm right here, see?" The tears that were on her face were still hot. *Aw, I can't believe she likes me. Not even that much.* He wiped the tears from her face. When he saw her wanting to cry again, he licked around the edges of her eyes, coaxing her into staying calm. Nauki hiccuped. Inu-Yasha sat down in front of her. "I can't believe you were causing that much of a fuss." He glanced around making sure no one was watching them. He whistled sharply, waving for Nauki to come to him. She came faster than he anticipated. Nauki flew at him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She dug her nails into his side Inu-Yasha looked down at her, feeling kind of moved. He wrapped his arms around her, nudging her forehead. "I didn't mean to leave you alone." She rubbed her face on his kimono, then sat up looking at him. Nauki looked down then back up. "Papa," she said softly. He touched her face with one of his claws. With a slightly confused, yet flattered expression, he asked her, "Why do you keep calling me that, little one?" Nauki closed her eyes, nudging his claw with her cheek. "Papa," she said again. *I want him to understand. He is my papa. I know he is.* She nudged again, whimpering slightly because she knew he wasn't going to understand. "I don't understand....why you keep calling me that. I don't have any kids, Nauki." He watched her, his heart going out to her. "I'm sorry." Nauki lowered her head in defeat. *He doesn't feel what I do when I'm around him. I'll just have to make him see that he is my papa.* Inu-Yasha watched as Nauki got off of him. She walked over to a corner of the room and sat down, her eyes staring off. He didn't understand what was making her so heartbroken. *I don't know what's wrong with me, either. I feel like this kid should be around me, needs to be around me. And the strange thing is, I want her to be around me.* He touched his chest, right over his heart, looking down as he felt something. *And I have yet to learn what this means.* He closed his eyes. It was almost the same feeling he got when Kagome had lifted the magic from the arrow that had been shot into his heart. Nauki turned around not wanting to look at him. *Why can't he see that he's my papa? How else could they have found me..? I can only call to whom I belong to...* She closed her eyes, her heart breaking. *I didn't ask to be taken from them..I'm not supposed to be around..* Inu-Yasha felt a deep sadness coming from Nauki. He didn't understand how he was able to feel her emotions. It totally baffled him. He picked up the kimono he had gotten for her. It looked just like his, except it was dark green. Tucking it under his arm, he crawled over to her as quietly as he could. Nauki didn't hear him coming. She felt someone scratching at her back lightly. She wouldn't turn around. Instead, she growled back. Inu-Yasha narrowed his eyes. *Did she just growl at me?* He laid the kimono down behind her. "Are you going to stop being mad at me?" Nauki shook her head. *Nope, sorry.* She crossed her arms, going into a fetal position. "Alright." He shrugged as he bent down towards her neck. Opening his mouth, he grabbed a hold of the scruff of her neck and pulled her back towards him, just like a wolf catching hold of its young. Nauki growled lightly as he pulled her. *What's he want now? I'm not through being mad!* Inu-Yasha kept pulling her backwards until she glanced at him. "Now are you going to stop," he asked through his teeth. He let go of her. Nauki got on all fours shaking her head like she had fallen into a large amount of water. She looked straight ahead as he stared at her. *Why does she remind me so much of a pup?* He sighed. *She's gonna need some work, crazy kid.* He leaned forward, nudging her right beside her ear. Nauki growled at him a little, but the more he kept nudging her, the less she growled. *I hate how he's able to make me stop being angry..* "Regardless of who you belong to, I like you, and that's all that matters for now." Inu-Yasha rubbed his nose against her skin. *He...likes me..?* Nauki turned around slightly looking at him. She grabbed his face, giving him a hard look. *I..don't understand you!* "If you can say "Papa", can you say anything else?" Inu-Yasha watched her look down sadly as she let go of his face. "Why is that the only word you can say, Nauki?" *Because you are the only one I was taken from. You're my papa..* She sighed again, not being able to explain it to him. "We'll just have to teach you some more words," he said watching her. He lifted her chin so she would look at him. "O.k.?" Nauki nodded slowly. "Hey, what have you two been up to?" Inu-Yasha turned his head to see Kagome standing behind him in the doorframe. "Hiya," he said. "You got her to come around?" Inu-Yasha nodded. "Can she talk?" "She can only say one word." "Aw, what word is that?" She walked over, bending down to look at Nauki. She smiled at her. "Papa." "Papa?" Maybe she's lost her father, or was taken away from him." She crouched down watching Nauki's reaction to her. The girl backed away some, not sure who this strange woman was. "She sure is scared of me." "Nah, she just doesn't know you yet, Kagome." He smiled at her, showing a bit of his fangs. Kagome noticed the dark green kimono sitting near Nauki. "Did you go and get that for her?" She winked at him. Inu-Yasha blushed slightly, scratching his head in embarassment. "Um, sort of," he said. "Aw, that's really sweet of you." Once she said that, it made him blush more. "I think you are getting attached to her, don't you think?" "Maybe," he said, scruffing Nauki's hair. The girl tilted her head at him. *Maybe? He told me he did like me...* She hmmphed at him, crossing her arms, turning her head a little. "What's wrong, Nauki," Kagome asked. "Don't you like the kimono Inu- Yasha got for you?" *What kimono?* She raised a brow, looking back at them. "She hasn't seen it yet," Inu-Yasha said. He picked up the kimono, showing it to Nauki. The girl tilted her head at him. She looked down at her rags. Then she noticed they were ruined. "It's going to replace what you have on. It'll keep you a lot warmer," Inu-Yasha told her. Nauki felt like she was glowing inside. *He got it for me..Me. He got it for me! Maybe he will realize that he's my papa.* She lifted her arms high over her head. *Change me.* Kagome pointed. "That's so cute! She wants you to put it on her." Inu-Yasha swallowed. "Uh..." Nauki started to shake her hands. *Change me!* "Nauki, I can't change you. See, um, adult guys don't change little girls, unless that guy is her parent." He tried to say it as careful as possible. She smiled at him, nodding her head quickly. *Exactly! So change me, papa!* "I don't think she understands," he said, closing his eyes. "I'll change her if you want me to," Kagome offered as she glanced at him. Nauki growled a defiance at that suggestion. She started snarling through her teeth sounding just like a dog. "Huh?" Kagome leaned back some with a surprised look on her face. "Inu..Yasha..?" He opened his eyes, raising a brow at Nauki. The girl had her eyes narrowed, and he swore that if she had long hair, it would have been raised on the back of her neck. "Nauki!" She immediatly stopped, shrinking back some. She looked up at him slowly. *Um....yes..?* "Stop growling at Kagome! She's not going to hurt you!" Kagome watched the girl move back some. "I think she feels threatened by me. She doesn't know me and all. I guess I would feel really weird if somebody came along trying to change me, and I didn't know her either." "That's not the point. She's never done that before, unless it was in play." "You've...been playing with her?" "Uh..." This time he was caught. Kagome moved closer to him. She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "That's so sweet. Maybe you are opening yourself more than you realize." Inu-Yasha blushed intensely. He loved Kagome, and she him, but he was still shy towards showing affection to her. Nauki raised a brow as she watched him. *He loves her.* Inu-Yasha smiled back at Kagome. He wrapped his arms around her waist, laying his head on her shoulder. "She's a cute kid. Kind of shy to people she doesn't know." Kagome wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his shoulder in return. "I wouldn't blame her. Look what she's been through." She closed her eyes remembering how weak Nauki had been when she first came around. Nauki was getting very jealous. She didn't like this deal where they were hugging and loving on each other, and she wasn't included. She crawled over to them. Looking very carefully, she saw an opening between them. *Hey,...I want some, too..* She managed to squeeze herself into the opening between Inu-Yasha and Kagome. Inu-Yasha and Kagome both felt something wriggling between them. They parted for a brief moment. Nauki popped her head up between them. *HI!* She smiled at both of them. Kagome got a strange look on her face. "I think she's jealous." "Nauki..." Nauki crossed her arms again. *Wait a minute...I hear something.* She put her head to Kagome's chest, right over her heart. "Inu-Yasha, what is she doing?" Kagome got kind of tense, not expecting that. *It sounds just like him...That heartbeat I heard in the forest, and in the dark world where I came from.* Inu-Yasha didn't budge, watching the little girl very solemnley. "Just be still, Kagome. I think she's figuring you out." Kagome nodded as Nauki kept listening. The child closed her eyes. *If it sounds like him, then..maybe I belong to her, too..* She looked up at Kagome with her sparkling purple eyes. Kagome was looking back at her oddly. When she saw that Nauki had a blank expression on her face, she relaxed immensley. Once she relaxed, Nauki gave her a good, wet lick right up her left cheek. Nauki sat back down between them, and raised her arms over her head again. She waved her hands around. *You can change me now!* Kagome sat completely still, staring past Inu-Yasha. "What..just happened?" "I have no idea, but I think she likes you now." "Apparently. She's a strange little girl," Kagome said. *Woman, are you going to change me, or not?* Nauki pulled on Kagome's hair. "Hey...!" *I can't exactly talk lady...I have to resort to the last measures I can take!* **************************************************************************** * Nauki hopped around in her new green kimono. She loved how it danced each time she touched the floor. She hopped on two legs, then on one. Soon she was hopping backwards and forwards enchanted by the cloth. "Inu-Yasha, the rosary is missing around your neck," Kagome gasped, putting her hand to her mouth. His hand went immediatly to his throat. "Huh?" "How can that be? Kaede put it there to.." She stopped. *Why..does he need it now..? He's not bad without it..is he?* "She put it there to keep me under control, is what you mean." He looked dead at her, afraid of what she was thinking. "Do you love me any less now that I can't be controlled without it?" His heart sank with the shocked look on Kagome's face. "How can you think that? Of course I love you!" "I can see it on your face, Kagome..You think that if the rosary is around my neck, that I will remain good and wholesome. While without it, I will turn evil and defial everything in my path." Kagome looked down, shame apparent on her face. "Inu..Yasha, I'm sorry.." "No, I know what you were thinking..I guess it all comes out, doesn't it?" Kagome looked at him hard, stern. "I love you for yourself! You were mean and selfish when I met you, but over time you changed!" He snuffed, turning around. He thought she loved him for himself, not for what she wanted him to be. While the two sat angry with one another, Nauki was still hopping around. She had forgotten that they were in the same room with her, lost in her own world. The girl waved her arms in front of her face, then suddenly started to twirl as she danced. Kagome felt tears coming to her eyes. She didn't want to lose Inu- Yasha over an arguement. She did love him. She wanted him to realize that. She just didn't understand how the rosary could have came off of his neck. Kaede was the one who put it there, and she thought, the old woman was the only one who could remove it. "Pa..pa..," Nauki called to Inu-Yasha, rubbing her eyes. Kagome turned her head to look at the girl. *She calls him "papa".* Inu-Yasha glanced at Nauki still mad with Kagome. "I told you I'm not your.." Nauki crawled into his lap, laying on her side. She rested her head on his leg, curling up. Yawning big, she closed her eyes, her small hand resting up under her chin. "You can't fight her. She really does love you, and so do I." Kagome looked at him sadly. "She...loves me..?" Inu-Yasha ran his fingers through the girl's hair. Nauki seemed to move her head back some, so he could have easier access. "Of course she does. I've seen the way she looks at you. You've been the main one taking care of her." "But...that doesn't mean anything," he said. "It does to a child. To her, you are the most wonderful thing she has ever expereienced. You are a hero to her, Inu-Yasha. Someone who is loving and kind..She doesn't see what you are on the outside..She looks past your figure and peers into your heart. You cannot hide yourself from her." "Kagome...um...if I tell you something..you have to listen, and can't judge me, o.k.?" Kagome nodded, knowing the fight between them was over. "Earlier today I could sense Nauki's feelings when she was mad with me. She was angry as a firecracker, and somewhat saddened because I wouldn't believe her." "Believe her about what?" "She kept calling me "Papa" over and over. She would give me a certain look, close her eyes, and nudge my hand while saying it over and over. I can't explain it..I felt something from her..Something deep within my heart. It was the same feeling I had when you lifted the arrow from my heart when I was stuck to the tree." Kagome crawled over to him, looking down at Nauki. "You think there's something about her?" "I know there's something about her. Kagome, I've interacted with Nauki in ways that I've never interacted with anyone, much less a child. She makes me feel complete, like the hole in my heart that Kikyo created, is gone.." She nodded slowly again, watching how entranced he was by the little girl lying in his lap, asleep. "I mean, Kaede's right. I've been watching over her, much like, a parent would. I've been feeding her, taking care of her... I played with her last night on the floor, and fell asleep with her. Heck, I even scolded her when she had gone off to the forest to pick berries..." "Maybe you feel responsible for her because she doesn't have any parents." "Might be, but I'm not sure. There's something about her. I feel like I need to be around her, I want her around, and she needs me in ways I can't explain." Nauki started to lightly scratch at his leg. "She's fast asleep now. She does that when she's completely gone," Inu-Yasha told Kagome. "She's a funny little thing. She wants to help me, and even likes me, for crying out loud." "You find that strange for a child to be attracted to you?" "I've never had it happen before. Remember when I had to forcefeed Nauki?" Kagome nodded. "Yeah, that was pretty scarey. I thought she was going to die overnight when I left." "Well, when she woke up, she wanted to feed me in the same demeanor. Strange as it was, I let her. I guess she thought she was repaying me. She couldn't understand that I wasn't sick." "Aw, she sounds really sweet. I hope she comes around to me soon." "She should. Nauki does like you. She just is cautious because she's only seen you once, and it wasn't for longer than a few hours." "I know. Have you given her a bath since she's been recovered?" "A bath?" "Well, yeah. She can't go around with dirt and muck on her. She'll get an infection." "Kagome, if you haven't noticed, it's snowing outside. If I put her in the river, she'll get even sicker." "No, no, no," Kagome waved her hands, shaking her head,"That's not what I mean. You can heat water, and put it in a tub. Bathe her in it." "Huh?" He tilted his head at her. "I'll show you tomorrow when I get out of school, o.k.?" Inu-Yasha nodded. "We aren't fighting anymore, are we?" "No..I just..wasn't sure if your feelings would change now that that stupid necklace is gone.." "Well, now you know." Kagome rubbed her nose against his cheek. Inu-Yasha leaned in, closing his eyes. 


	6. Trip to the Hot Springs

Chapter 6  
  
"Nauki, would you stop hopping around, constantly looking out the window?" Inu-Yasha turned to quietly glare at the girl. She was slightly getting on his nerves. "Seems to me, she is waiting for Kagome," Kaede said, stirring the fire. "That doesn't make any sense. She growled at her yesterday." "Growled?" "Yeah. Kind of shocked Kagome a little." He laid back resting his chin in his hand. "Nauki, calm down..." "It is not normal for a child to growl, Inu-Yasha." "You're telling me.." "There are so many riddles about yon child." She closed her eyes, thinking. "Riddles? She was a girl hanging in a tree left to die, old woman." He glanced back at her, then back to Nauki who was still hopping up and down trying to look out the window. "But why was she hanging in a tree? Who put her there? What purpose would someone want in killing a small child?" Inu-Yasha sighed. "I don't know, but I don't like it, none the same." "Neither do I. What threat could a small child have against anyone?" As they sat there pondering, Nauki started to sniff the air. She hopped up and down faster. *She's coming! She's coming!* She ran to the door, ready to pounce on Kagome. As soon as Kagome stepped in, brushing the curtain aside, Nauki pounced her. "Oof!" She looked up at the girl sitting on her stomach. "I thought you didn't like me..." Nauki tilted her head like she didn't know what she was talking about. She cooed at her, bouncing a little more on Kagome's stomach. "Well, that's a change." "Nauki, get off of her. If you pounce her to death, you can't play with her later." Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes. "You certainly are a strange kid," Kagome said as she sat up. *Strange? You call me strange with what you're wearing?* Nauki blinked her eyes in response. "So, you still want to try and give her a bath?" Inu-Yasha looked at Kagome. "Yeah, I guess so. She hasn't had one in a week since we found her." "If ye put her in the river, she will get sick," Kaede said. "Oh, I'm not planning on doing that. That river stays cold even in the summer," Kagome said. "I was thinking more about heating water and putting it in something to bathe her." "That may be a problem, child. Ye'd have to carry the water bucket by bucket from the river back here, heat it, and then find something to put that large amount of water in," Kaede said. "It is a nice thought, though." "Oh, yeah, I forgot how far the river is," Kagome sulked, sighing. "Why not just take her to the hot springs?" Inu-Yasha laid fully on his back. "Isn't that a little far from here," Kagome asked as Nauki sniffed her hair. "Yeah, but you forget, I'm the fastest thing on two legs," He smiled at her. **************************************************************************** ** As Inu-Yasha ran through the snow-covered forest, Kagome held tightly onto his back with Nauki underneath her. The girl had no idea he could move that fast. She had her eyes closed, and her head covered. "It's o.k., Nauki, I won't let you fall off," Kagome said, looking down at her. *Too fast..* Nauki wanted badly to scream because she wanted him to slow down. She had no idea what a hot springs was, or where they were going. As fast as he was moving, she figured he could reach the end of time. "Hah, there it is." He started to slow down. "O.k., ride's over." "We can get off now," Kagome told the girl. Nauki looked up slowly. *Everything stopped moving so fast.* She felt sick to her stomach. "Uh, oh." "What do you mean "Uh-oh"?" Inu-Yasha turned around trying to look behind himself. "I think she's carsick. Or um, she has motion sickness." "If she's gonna hurl, get her off of me," Inu-Yasha moved his arms up and down, not really wanting vomit on his back. Kagome grabbed Nauki and jumped down. Once she set her on the ground, the girl was fine. "O.k., you two have fun. I'll be over here." Inu-Yasha walked to a large rock, sitting on it. "You're coming, too," Kagome said, pointing at him. He froze. "Hey, you didn't say anything about me getting a bath!" "Of course not! If I had said anything, you wouldn't have came!" "Has anyone told you that you are coniving?" "It seems to have rubbed off on me, from some demon that I know," She crossed her arms. "I can't get out of this, can I?" He smiled a little, hoping it would pay off. Kagome walked up to him, grabbed him by the kimono, and started pulling him towards the hot springs. "Not on your life, pal." Nauki sniffed the water. *Why is it hot?* She really didn't want to go in it. Kagome took off her coat, laying it on a small boulder. As Inu-Yasha watched, she put her hair up to keep it from getting wet. "Do you need one of these to keep your hair dry?" "What is it?" "It's a hair tye. If your hair gets wet, you could get sick." "I'll take my chances. I don't think I want to look like a girl." "O.k., don't say I didn't warn ya." She took her shirt off. Kagome smirked when Inu-Yasha got a stumped look on his face. "Thought you were going to see something, didn't you?" "What the heck is that you're wearing," He pointed. "It's called a bathing suit. Keeps guys from looking at things they shouldn't see yet." She smiled at him. "Oh, yeah, that's real fair." He crossed his arms. "What'd you say?" "Nothing," Inu-Yasha chimed. "O.k. squirt, time to get in." Kagome stepped into the water slowly. "Hot, hot, hot." She glanced back to see Nauki still standing, looking at her. "It's o.k. it's just water." Nauki was kind of scared of the water. She had never been in it before. She moved back some till she felt Inu-Yasha's kimono. Nauki grabbed the loose pants legs and hid herself in them. Inu-Yasha just looked down at her. "Nauki!" Kagome turned around. "Huh?" "That's private! Get out of there!" Kagome started laughing. Inu-Yasha lifted his legs, trying to keep Nauki from hiding between his legs. He kept stepping back until Nauki wasn't able to hide anymore. "It's just water." He looked at the expression on her face. She was totally terrified. Kagome noticed the expression on the girl's face. "Inu-Yasha, I don't think she's been around water before." "How can that be possible? She has to drink it, doesn't she?" "I don't know, but she's completely mortified." Kagome came out of the water, stepping into the snow. She squatted down touching Nauki's face lightly. "Hey, you o.k.?" Nauki turned around grabbing Kagome around her chest. She laid her head on her shoulder, not looking at Inu-Yasha. Nauki started to whimper as she trembled. *She's seriously afraid.* Kagome put her arms around her. "Inu-Yasha, she's really afraid." "Huh?" Inu-Yasha walked back over, kneeling behind Nauki. "Nauki, what's wrong?" He touched her face with his claw. "You act like you've never seen water before." *I haven't.* She shook her head. "Where did she come from?" Kagome looked at him with a surprised look on her face. "I don't know. That's what Old Kaede was trying to figure out. It doesn't make any sense...She was left to die in a forest miles from here, where no one could have found her. What threat could a six-year-old girl be?" "P-Pa..pa..," Nauki called softly, afraid of what he was going to say. She didn't think he liked her calling him that. "You know, she's afraid to call you that. She knows you don't like it, but there's a reason she refers to you that way." Kagome stroked Nauki's hair. "I'm not her...," He paused looking at the expression on Kagome's face. Inu-Yasha sighed. "I don't know how to be a father, Kagome." He stroked Nauki's cheek. "Especially to a little girl who really needs one." Nauki closed her eyes. Tears flowed down her face, dropping onto the snow. *He's my papa...And I love him whether he knows it, or not...* She grabbed Kagome's bathing suit in her hands, clasping onto it. Inu-Yasha bent closer. He could see that she was crying. The feeling that he had felt earlier, washed over him. Nauki needed him. He needed her. Very slowly, he kissed her cheek, then rubbed his nose against it. "I don't know how to be a father, Nauki, but if I can defeat other demons, then I can try to do this." Kagome smiled inwardly. Her heart felt like it was going to burst. She touched his face. "You are so incredibly wonderful, Inu-Yasha." "Well, she needs me. Just like you do." He smiled at her. "Besides, I'm quite attached to her." Nauki opened her eyes, turning her head a little. *You..want me around?* She closed her eyes, nudging his nose with hers. *Maybe you'll realize who and what I am when you're ready.*  
  
Once they were in the water, Nauki was more at ease, but she was still kind of weary at touching the hot liquid. She held on tightly to Inu- Yasha. She had figured that since he was the tallest, he was the farthest away from the water. Kagome kept smiling at them. She laughed a little each time Inu-Yasha almost fell, and how Nauki pulled his hair. Kagome put her hand over her mouth, trying hard not to giggle. "Ow, ow, ow!" Inu-Yasha tried to balance out each time he almost fell. He'd put his arms out to from his sides right when he was leaning forward, and Nauki would immediatly go towards his back. The girl had the most horrified look on her face, praying each time that they wouldn't fall in. "You're going to have to get in the water sooner or later," Inu-Yasha told Nauki. She just smiled at him in return. He crossed his arms as Nauki kept crawling farther and farther up, until she was perched on his shoulder. "This is too funny," Kagome said in between giggles. "I'm glad you think so because you're getting her next," He shook his fist at Kagome. Inu-Yasha didn't think it was funny at all, with the way his hair was getting pulled. But he didn't complain much because Nauki could be pulling on his ears, which would hurt worse. Nauki patted the top of Inu-Yasha's head. He looked up at her, and she down. She smiled at him, kissing the top of his forehead, then rubbed his temples. "You have to admit, she is a cute kid," Kagome said. "Yeah, I know." Inu-Yasha blew up at Nauki, causing her bangs to flutter. "Papa," she said happily, kicking her feet. Kagome smiled as she lowered herself into the water. "I think you made her day." She watched Inu-Yasha blow more air up at Nauki. *They look so cute together. Who would have ever thought a half-demon, like Inu-Yasha, would be so open to the innocent happiness of a small child like Nauki?* *Hmm...If I can keep her occupied, maybe she won't notice she's going into the water.* Inu-Yasha kept blowing up at Nauki while he slowly lowered himself into the water. He was right. Nauki didn't notice. "Huh?" *Oh, yeah...Why didn't I think of that? Most kids don't pay attention to two things happening at once.* Nauki tilted her head, hearing a splashing sound. She looked around. *Where's that coming from?* She glanced at Kagome. That's when she noticed her feet were in the water. *I'm the one making that sound!* She slowly lifted her toes above the water, staring at them like they were an alien from space. Inu-Yasha smirked at his new daughter's reaction. Nauki got closer to the water, running her fingers through it. *It doesn't look so bad.* "Want to go further in?" He looked up at her as she stuided the liquid. She nodded slowly, clasping her hands around his head for dear life. He dipped down slowly till he was sitting on his rear like Kagome. "See? Nothing to it." Nauki was up to her knees in the water. Kagome splashed both of them with a big wave of water. She chuckled. "Sorry, coudn't resist!" Inu-Yasha shook his head free of the water. "Oh, you want to play rough do you?" Kagome froze. "Woman, you can't handle the roughness!" He sent a huge wave of water back at her. She yelped as it splashed her hard, causing her to go under. She came back up, narrowing her eyes. "It would help if you'd remember that you're a lot stronger than me!" Inu-Yasha tilted his head as Nauki popped him. He looked at the girl as she shook her finger at him. *No hurting the Kagome person!* "Oh, so now you're going to start, too.." He grabbed a hold of Nauki. Just as he was about to dunk her, Kagome interferred. "Inu-Yasha, don't!" He glanced at her. "If you dunk her, she'll be so terrified of the water, she won't get back in, or go near it!" He sighed. "I guess you're right.." Inu-Yasha placed Nauki on his knees. "Still..it would have been fun." He smiled a little. Nauki yawned wide, rubbing her eyes. "Somebody needs a nap." Just as Nauki was starting to lean to put her head on Inu-Yasha, he freaked. He was completely nude. "Nauki, no! Nauki..Nauki!" Kagome swam over. She caught the girl just as she was leaning over. "I got her. Now who can't handle it?" She lifted Nauki off of him, placing the child in her lap. Reluctantly, Nauki laid her head over Kagome's heart, closing her eyes. In a short while, she was lightly scratching at her arm. Inu-Yasha was watching Kagome handle the girl with a faint smile across his lips. *Kagome'd make a good mother some day.* "O.k. it's time to go. If we stay out here any longer, we'll be a bunch of snowmen." Kagome got up from the water. She felt the cold air immediatly. Shivering, she got out of the hot springs to put her clothes on. "What's a snowman?" "It's a bunch of snow put together to resemble a person." He didn't quite understand that bit. "Inu-Yasha, could you come hold her while I get dressed? I'll dress her once I'm done." "Kagome I'm still.." "She's asleep. She won't see a thing." He got up slowly, cautioned. Walking over, he took Nauki from Kagome. The girl moved a little. When she did, he got really tense, afraid she was going to wake up. She didn't. Once Kagome had put her coat back on, she hurridly dressed Nauki fearing the child would catch her death of cold. "There we go." She picked Nauki back up. "You better get dressed real fast. I might turn around." "I'm not about to fall for that one," Inu-Yasha walked past her already dressed. "That was fast." "Told you I wasn't going to fall for it," He smiled at her. "Ready to go?" Kagome hopped on and off they went.  
  
When they got back, Inu-Yasha went straight to the well. He knew Kagome couldn't stay any longer. She handed Nauki over to him. "Will you be back tomorrow?" She smiled at him. "Don't know. Depends on how much you like hanging around me." Inu-Yasha kissed her on the forehead. "Oh, I'd say at this rate, you might as well stay." "You know, I still can't get over how you're adopting Nauki." She ran her fingers through the girl's hair. Nauki moved a little, turning her head over, her mouth slightly open as she breathed. "It's like you said before..She doesn't have anyone, and she needs me. I think I need her, too.." He closed his eyes, rubbing his cheek on the girl's head. "She reminds me so much of how it was when my mom died." "It's still a major change in you. You used to hate children." "I know, but she's different." "How different?" "She's a girl. Girl's are more affectionate. But if she acts anything like you, I'm turning her out," He joked. Kagome pulled one of his tresses. "Hey...Acting like me might help her in the long run." "Depends on which race we're talking about." Another yank. "I know you're only kidding." She pinched his arm lightly. "Just don't try to do too much at one time with her. Take it slow. She's still getting used to us, and the way things are at Kaede's. Oh, and don't let her walk around barefoot, like you..She might catch a cold, or worse. And.." Kagome started to think. Inu-Yasha placed a finger over her lips, hushing her. "You're starting to act like her mother, Kagome." She blinked. "I am?" He nodded. She kissed his finger, then hopped over the well not giving him time to answer. All she could hear as she went down into the darkness was, "That was a pure tease!" She laughed. 


	7. Angel or Miko?

Chapter 7  
  
Inu-Yasha walked back through the woods carrying the girl in his arms. She yawned a little. He thought their stay at Kaede's had been well progressed. Nauki opened her eyes looking at him sleepily. "Hey, kiddo." Nauki yawned again. She looked around for Kagome, but didn't see her anywhere. *Where'd she go?* She didn't understand where Kagome went for she never saw her leave. Inu-Yasha kept walking through the woods going in the direction of his hut. It had been destroyed once by a demon who had been looking for him when he was seriously hurt. However, he and Miroku had rebuilt it. Inu- Yasha didn't want to live with Kaede; he needed his own space. He thought of the past and how hurt he had been. *Man, I was sure stubborn. Probably still am..* Nauki was looking over his shoulder at the snow covered trees. She liked Kagome now. She remembered falling asleep and Kagome lifting her from Inu-Yasha. She even kind of remembered Kagome dressing her when they had gotten out of the hot springs. She whimpered slightly not understanding why Kagome left every day. Nauki wanted her to stay. She was sort of nice. Inu-Yasha heard her whimper and he patted her back figuring she was grogie. He felt her lift her head straight up. He glanced at her noticing she was looking back to the forest. *I guess she knows Kagome left.* Nauki rested her chin on his shoulder. She stretched out her hand as if she could grab Kagome back. "M..M..Ma...M..M..a..," Nauki called softly. Inu-Yasha stopped in his tracks, his ears alert. *Did she just say what I think she said?* He turned his head towards her, his eyes wide, his heart beating fast. *No one's been teaching her those words!* Nauki called Kagome again. "M...M...Ma..Ma...". He was certain of it now. Inu-Yasha stared at her in complete shock. Nauki realized he was staring at her. She turned her head to look at him. Her purple eyes reflected his face. She touched his nose with hers, having no idea what was wrong. "Papa?" "Nauki, where are you learning those words," he asked her. The child looked back at him uncertain of what he was asking. *Learn? What is "learn"?* She shook her head. "Someone must have taught you those words. You can't be saying them out of the blue." He watched her just stare at him with that famous blank expression of hers. She tilted her head at him. "Now I know if you can say two words, you can say more." Nauki shook her head. *Nope, only two for now. Sorry, papa, I can only speak when the time is right.* She kissed him beside his mouth smiling at him. "Kaede's right. You are a riddle." He continued to walk in the direction he was going. He heard Nauki sniffing the air. "No, we're not going back to Kaede's. I have my own place. I don't exactly feel like someone else telling me how to raise you." Nauki licked the side of his cheek. *You're reading me!* "Wait a minute. How did I know you wanted to ask where we're going?" He glanced at her. She just gave him her famous expression again. Inu-Yasha felt his heart reacting funny to her. It felt like it was full of emotion, and beating in a strange way. Nauki turned around as they got to the mound where the hut was sitting. It didn't look like much. She didn't really care. Better than staying in a dark hole in the rock that she was used to. She cooed at him. "I have yet to figure you out." He hopped up the mound then opened the door. "What are you doing here?!" Miroku opened an eye as he was leaned against the wall, his staff in one hand standing straight up. "Sango kicked me out again." Inu-Yasha came in. "What'd you do now?!" "I'd rather not dwell on my past ignorance," he said in return, closing his eyes. Inu-Yasha set Nauki down. The girl looked at the strange man, sniffing lightly. She couldn't tell if he was good hearted, or bad hearted. She was getting a strange mixture from the monk. "Hmmm?" Miroku opened both his eyes now noticing the little girl standing near Inu-Yasha. "Whose your friend?" "Nauki, meet Miroku. Miroku, Nauki," he introduced them. "Watch out for him, little one, he's a tricky monk." Inu-Yasha sat down on the hay that covered the floor. He leaned against the doorframe. Miroku studied the girl carefully. He could tell there was something unusual about her. "My, what unusual eyes you have." He leaned closer to gaze into them. Nauki stepped back a little, not knowing what he was doing. "You certainly are a pretty little girl," he commented, smiling at her briefly. He could tell she was scared. Inu-Yasha gave him a distilled look. "Hey, she's too young for you! You have Sango, remember?" "I didn't mean any harm in what I said, Inu-Yasha. She is a very pretty girl. Her eyes give her a hidden characteristic that I can't quite figure out." He watched Nauki sit down next to Inu-Yasha, leaning her body so she could put her head on his arm. "How ever did you come across her?" Inu-Yasha perceded into telling Miroku the long story of how he and Kagome had found the girl. He looked down at Nauki fondly, scruffing her hair each time the details got more horrifying. "We just don't know where she came from. It has Kaede completely baffled." "Well, I can understand why. Who would want to hurt a small child like Nauki? Something doesn't sound right.." "What doesn't?" "How she was left, how you two found her. Someone put her there for a reason, and that reason is clear, to die. But how did Kagome sense her from that great of distance? Kagome is still learning her abilities." "I don't know..The whole situation is a complete mess. And if I ever find out who did that to her, I'm gonna...," Inu-Yasha trailed off, growling, raising a fist. "So it's clear to say that you are attached to her." Miroku smiled faintly. "Uh..." Inu-Yasha didn't want to answer. He had not been acting like himself lately, at all. It was not normal for him to show affection to anyone. It was hard enough for him to express himself to Kagome. He thought about how he had played with Nauki and had cared for her over the past week. Things were definatly changing. "Your secret's safe with me," Miroku held up a hand. "I won't tell a living soul that you have feelings." "You better not! Or you can sleep outside where the demons will get you," Inu-Yasha threatened. Nauki's stomach started to growl. She turned around, sniffing the air smelling something coming. Miroku dug in his pocket for the fruit he had taken from home. "Here you go," He threw it to Nauki, but didn't realize she wasn't paying attention. Just when he tensed, waiting for the fruit to hit her in the side of the head, she caught it with one hand, her eyes still looking off, her attention directed elsewhere. "Inu-Yasha, did you just witness that?" Inu-Yasha nodded faintly, his eyes widening again. "Her reflexes are astounding." Nauki started to growl, hearing something approaching up the mound. She sniffed the air, and got into a crouched position, her back raised, head lowered. Inu-Yasha and Miroku stared at the girl. "Huh?" Inu-Yasha's ears twitched hearing someone singing. "Who could that be? No one ever comes out here. Well, except you," he looked at Miroku, who just nodded as he watched Nauki. Inu-Yasha relaxed. "It's only Shippo." He grabbed Nauki by the waist of her kimono, pulling her up and over to the other side of him. "Calm down, little one. It's only Shippo. He's a friend. Sort of." Shippo opened the door, not expecting Inu-Yasha to be there. "You're back? Did you find the shard," he asked. "No, I kind of got sidetracked," Inu-Yasha answered, closing his eyes as the Kitsune closed the door. "Sidetracked with what?" Shippo noticed Nauki eyeing him. He blinked his small eyes at her. "Aw, she's cute!" He smiled at her. "Where'd she come from, Inu-Yasha?" "It's a long story, and I don't feel like telling it again," Inu- Yasha answered back. Shippo sat down, mad. "No one ever tells me anything!" Nauki approached Shippo on all fours, crawling very slowly. Her guard was up. She didn't know what he was. He looked kind of like a demon, but she didn't know what kind. She sniffed at him carefully. Shippo put his hands in his lap, watching the girl approach him. "Hey, she's sniffing me. Kind of like Inu-Yasha following a trail." Inu-Yasha turned his head raising a brow. "Huh?" "Yes, very much like Inu-Yasha," Miroku commented. "Wonder why that is." "Eh, I don't have any kids if you're suggesting that I've been messing around!" He crossed his arms glaring at Miroku. "I wasn't suggesting anything like that. But if you have, does that mean Kagome's open for suitors?" Inu-Yasha growled, glaring harder. "Why you..You certainly are wanting to sleep outside tonight!" Miroku just smirked knowing he had gotten Inu-Yasha's goat. Nauki turned her attention to Miroku's comment. She didn't like what he said. How could he think of coming between her mama and papa? She growled at Miroku. "See?! I'm not the only one who doesn't like you!" Inu-Yasha pointed to Nauki. Miroku raised a brow. The girl kept snarling, her eyes narrowed. Miroku started to notice that her growls were getting deeper. Did he see fangs forming on the small girl's teeth? He tensed up, still not knowing what kind of creature, or person Nauki was. Purple eyes were not normal, he knew that. "Inu-Yasha," he said in a whisper. "Huh?" Inu-Yasha turned. Miroku was pointing at Nauki. "What the..?" The hair on the back of the girl's neck started to rise. Shippo got so scared he backed away and hid. She was crouching again. *Something tells me I better apologize quickly, or that girl's going to attack me. I don't want to hurt her.* Miroku eyed the girl's threat. "Look, what I said about Kagome was a joke." Nauki kept approaching very slowly, her hands digging into the wood, like she was getting claws. *Take it back...* Shippo peaked out from his hiding place. "She's going to..attack you, Miroku! Eh!" Shippo hid again not wanting to be part of the girl's aggressional attack. "Um, Inu-Yasha, you can help any time," Miroku said not moving. He was being very cautious. This was a child. A child! She was really ticked off at what he said. For the life of him, Miroku could not figure out what the girl was. He was getting strange vibes from her. Just as Nauki had started to get ready to pounce Miroku, Inu-Yasha pounced her. She squirmed underneath him as he pressed his weight on her. Before she knew it, her legs and arms were pinned. "Oh, no, you don't!" Inu-Yasha stayed on top of her until she calmed down. Miroku watched the struggle between the two of them. "Nauki, he didn't mean what he said!" She tried to throw him off. "Miroku has the tendencey to joke in ways that are inappropriate. This being one of them!" "I didn't mean what I said, Sunshine." Miroku bent down close enough to look her in the eyes. "See, me and Inu-Yasha have a joke going. I like to joke with him about taking Kagome away from him, and he uh, usually gets me for it. It's harmless fun." Nauki wanted to slash him so bad for what he said about her mama. She started to relax, not having any choice with Inu-Yasha pinning her down. The girl didn't like one bit of it. This monk was the strangest character she had come across. She had figured out that Kagome was a loving, caring person who was willing to help and make decisions. Inu-Yasha was a half- demon who didn't like expressing his feelings, but really cared and showed it in little ways. She even figured out the squirrel boy who seemed to be a child, just like her. Except he was a bit more intelligent about what was going on around him. But the monk...the one called Miroku had her confused. He showed two sides of himself and they seemed to conflict, and tangle themselves together. She didn't understand it. "Are you going to calm down now?" Inu-Yasha looked at her as she sighed a defeat. "Good. You can't beat Miroku up. I might let you one day, but we still need him around." "Glad to know I mean so much to you," Miroku closed his eyes, shaking his head. "But just to be sure you're not going to try anything.." Inu-Yasha bent down grabbing her by the scruff of her neck with his teeth. *Dang it!* Nauki growled a defiance. She crossed her arms as he lifted her up. "Stop growling. It won't get you anywhere," he said in between his teeth. He wrapped his arms around the girl, pulling her towards him as he sat down. Soon she was sitting in his lap much like being in jail. Nauki muttered. She couldn't say but two words, but she could still mutter. She narrowed her eyes looking off into nothingness and kicked her feet. Inu-Yasha flicked the top of her head. "Knock it off, Nauki." He watched as she stopped, crossing her arms angry as a hornet. "She'll get over it." "Still, she has a good temper in her. Might come in useful one day." Miroku watched the girl slump lower in Inu-Yasha's lap till her head was resting on his abdomen. "Is it safe to come out now?" Shippo peaked out from his hiding place. "You are such a coward," Inu-Yasha said, narrowing his eyes. "She's only six!" "She's got fangs! Claws! And she growls like you!" Shippo hopped up and down yelling. Inu-Yasha blinked. "Huh? No, she doesn't." He looked down at Nauki who looked up at him, still angry. "Nauki, open your mouth." Surprisingly, she did what he asked. He looked all over her mouth for the fangs Shippo said she had. "She doens't have fangs!" "She does when she gets mad enough!" Shippo protested. "Uaw, I'm not arguing with you people!" Nauki's stomach growled again. She had forgotten to eat the fruit that Miroku had given her. Inu-Yasha handed her the fruit. He watched her sniff it having no idea what it was. *Something tells me she's not going to eat it, unless I show her what it is.* He grabbed the fruit, taking a bite out of it, then handed it back to Nauki. Miroku thought it was kind of funny how Nauki started to eat it once Inu-Yasha had bitten off of it. "She is a perculiar little girl," he commented. "Yeah, I know, but she's usually really quiet, and sweet," Inu-Yasha said as Nauki munched on the fruit. "I've never seen her get so aggressive before. Normally during play it was short growls, but nothing like what she did tongiht." Nauki ate half of the fruit, then handed it up to Inu-Yasha. He shook his head at her. She wasn't buying it. As she waved the fruit at him, she cooed at him in order to get him to pay attention to her. "You're not going to stop until I eat it, are you?" He looked down at her as she smiled at him. Inu-Yasha took the fruit, munching on it. "You know, I think Nauki may be good for you," Miroku said smiling a bit as the girl sat up. She reached up pulling Inu-Yasha's head down, kissing him under his chin. Nauki turned over onto her side, laying in Inu-Yasha lap. All of the aggression that she had released earlier had worn her out. She was never allowed to do it in the demon world. They feared what would happen if she executed her full abilities. Lightly, she scratched at his leg closing her eyes. Shippo approached the girl cautiously. He took small steps towards her, afraid she was going to wake up. When he was about half a foot from the sleeping girl, Miroku reached his hand towards Shippo. He pulled his tail and made a "Schshz" sound really loudly. Shippo freaked out, his eyes going wide as he nearly jumped out of his skin. "You are SUCH a coward!" Inu-Yasha frowned at the kitsune. Miroku sat behind them chuckling. "That was not funny!" Shippo gave Miroku an ugly look, jumping up and down. "Calm yourself, it was harmless fun," Miroku said. "Harmless to you because you weren't the one getting the trick played on," Shippo said angrily. Nauki opened one eye. She looked at the kitsune with a newfound alertness. He was making a lot of noise that jarred her awake. Her heart was nearly beating out of her chest and her breathing was rapid. Inu-Yasha caught attention to Nauki's rapid breathing. He looked down seeing that she was awake. "Are you o.k.?" He touched her face lightly. She remained still her breathing still pretty rapid. Her body didn't know what was going on. It was completely alert, afraid that something was happening that she needed to be aware of. Miroku noticed Nauki watching the small kitsune. He put his finger to his lips, signaling Shippo to calm down. The kitsune turned around noticing he had woken Nauki from her deep sleep. He lowered his head, backing away slowly. He wasn't too sure if the girl was going to get him like she had tried to get Miroku earlier. "Inu-Yasha, try singing her to sleep," Miroku suggested. "Sing her to sleep?" He nodded. "Shippo woke her from a deep sleep. Her body has been alerted by the noise and is in shock. If you sing to her, she will calm down, and possibly go back to sleep." "I didn't mean to wake her up," Shippo pouted. "Miroku, I do not sing," Inu-Yasha said gruffly. "Then do something that will calm her down. Simple enough," Miroku answered back. "Um, I can't..." Inu-Yasha lowered his gaze. "Why, because you're afraid of what we'll think?" Shippo looked him dead in the face. "No! Because I don't care what you think!" "Then, do it," Miroku said, closing his eyes. He was caught again. His machoness was getting him into more trouble than it was worth. He didn't want his friends to see his gentle side. Inu- Yasha knew Nauki needed to sleep. The girl was in alert/shock mode and he needed to get her out of it. The more he thought, the more he didn't like the last resort he had. But he did have an idea. Inu-Yasha picked Nauki up. Her heart was still beating pretty rapidly. He sat her in his lap and turned around so Miroku and Shippo couldn't watch. It was embarassing enough. Nauki was looking around the hut pretty wildly, still trying to figure out what had jarred her awake. Before she knew it, Inu-Yasha was cradling her, licking her face, trying to coax her into going back to sleep. "What's he doing," Shippo whispered, his little head tilted. He wanted to peak, but knew if he tried he was going to get nailed upside the head. "Leave him be, Shippo. Inu-Yasha knows that girl better than we do. If he can get her to sleep, let him try his own method." "But.." Miroku shook his head. "If it's embarassing for us to watch, then give him peace with it." "Come on, Little One," Inu-Yasha whispered as Nauki tried to force her eyes to stay open. He could feel her breathing and her heart rate slowing down. She wasn't able to fight him for long. The more he licked her face, the more relaxed she became. Once she was asleep, he laid her down on the straw. Nauki curled into a fetal position, resting her hand under her chin. He kissed her lightly on the cheek once he was sure no one was watching him. Inu-Yasha guessed they were right about him. He was attached to the small six-year-old. "Alright, everybody's going to bed," Inu-Yasha announced as he blew out the oil light. He laid back putting his arms underneath his head. "Hey, how come you get to make the decision when we go to sleep," Shippo asked, not quite ready for bedtime. "Because it's my hut, and what I say goes!" "I don't have to go to bed if I don't want to," Shippo started to shout. "If you wake her up, I'm going to skin you alive," Inu-Yasha started to shout back. Miroku just laid down deciding to stay out of the debate. "Over-protective parent," Shippo shot back as he leaned against the wall sulking. "I'm not her parent!" "Then why are you acting like it?!" He glared at Inu-Yasha in the dark. Inu-Yasha just glared back, not able to comment.  
  
Nauki woke to the strangest sight she had ever seen. Three guys with their mouths wide open, sprawled out on the floor fast asleep. She tilted her head watching the kitsune sleep. She touched his small teeth. "Huh?" He looked kind of silly with the pretty blue bow in his hair. Then she crawled over to the monk who had made her angry last night. He looked peaceful asleep, and less harmless. She wondered what the beads were around his hand. She pawed at them, watching them swing in the air. *Those are the same color as the squirrel's bow.* Nauki tilted her head at the ring around his middle finger. *What's that for?* She touched it lightly. It was the same color as her papa's eyes. She started to pull on it, wanting to examine it more. She had never seen anything like it. Miroku grabbed her wrist instantly. He opened his eyes. "Sorry, Sunshine. If you were to take that off of my finger, you would get a nasty surprise." He sat up. Nauki blinked her eyes at him. She wasn't afraid of him holding onto her wrist. Looking into his eyes more, she felt that he was being sincere and caring. Odd, since he was nowhere near showing those kinds of emotions last night. She was still curious and confused about him. She got closer to him as he still held onto her wrist. She sniffed at him, as she looked dead into his eyes. The monk looked back at her, his expression blank. She waved her hand at him smiling. Still no expression. Nauki tilted her head, raising a brow. "Huh?" *He's a funny person.* Determined to get some kind of reaction out of him, Nauki perceded to lightly harass Miroku. She poked his arm. Then his chest. Then his stomach. Still no reaction. She got even closer, looking him dead in the face. She pushed his nose in. No reaction. He only raised a brow, but that wasn't the kind of reaction she wanted. *Wonder if he wants to play.* She jumped up and down on all fours. He only watched her. Nauki tilted her head again. She leaned forward and grabbed his robe with her teeth tugging on him. *Play! Play!* "What exactly is it you want me to do?" "She wants you to play with her," Inu-Yasha said half-awake. "Nauki, I'm a little old to play with," Miroku said as she continued to tug on him. "She doesn't understand that. I don't think she knows the difference between age, gender, or any of that," Inu-Yasha said, rubbing his eyes. "Just play with her, it won't kill you." "I don't think that would look professional in my line of work," Miroku objected. "Nothing you do looks professional for your line of work," Inu-Yasha shot back. She still pulled on him, but Miroku wasn't about to budge. *Why won't he play like papa does?* Nauki sat down, lowering her head, crossing her arms. "I'll play with you," she heard someone say. Nauki turned around to see the small kitsune looking at her. "I have lots of toys," he said, rumaging through his pockets. She watched him pull out all sorts of things she had never seen before. "Or if you want, we can pretend we're chasing demons." Shippo turned into a demon with fangs an inch from his mouth, red eyes, and claws as big as Nauki's head. Her eyes widened. She screamed a high-pitched blood curdiling cry. Inu-Yasha sat up immediately once he heard her. "What's going on?!" He saw that Shippo had transformed into a demon right in front of the girl. "Shippo, you're scaring the complete hell out of her!!" Nauki continued to scream, her heart racing. *Where did that come from?! Is it here to take me back?! I don't want to leave my papa!* Tears started to flow down her face. "Shippo! Change back," Miroku yelled above the girl's screams. Nauki lifted both her hands straight out from her body, in front of her. She continued to scream as her palms were right in front of Shippo. "I don't want to leave my mama and papa!" A huge flash of light erupted from the palms of her hands, aimed straight at Shippo. Shippo seeing the light, quickly changed back, ducking as it soared over his head. The whole hut was lit up, blinding everyone in it. Shippo covered his head, "I didn't mean it!" As the light died, Nauki sat with tears flowing down her face, her palms still straight in front of her. She didn't know where the demon had gone. Both Inu-Yasha and Miroku sat with wide eyes, not knowing what had just happened. They both couldn't figure out what Nauki did. Inu-Yasha was the first to shake himself out of the state of shock. He crawled over to the girl slowly. "That...light," Miroku breathed. "She has psychic abilities like Kagome." Inu-Yasha didn't understand. He touched Nauki's face lightly till the girl lowered her hands. He was aware that she had done it out of self- defense. Nauki didn't look at him. She was afraid he was going to yell at her. The light she executed could have hit him and hurt him. She whimpered. "It's o.k, Little One," Inu-Yasha breathed. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Nauki hid her face not looking at any of them.  
  
Kagome had came and taken Nauki away from the hut. Inu-Yasha and Miroku had to have a talk and didn't need the girl around. Kagome had understood and had managed to coax Nauki into going to go see Kaede with her. "Alright, we have to figure out where she's from," Miroku said, resting his hand on his chin. Inu-Yasha nodded looking at the floor, his mind in shambles with what he had witnessed. "She has a strange hair cut that I've never seen on a child," Miroku noted. "And she doesn't talk, much," he added. "What else?" "Her eyes are an unnormal color," Inu-Yasha whispered. "She's also able to communicate in my dreams." "Your dreams?" Miroku saw the expression on his face. Inu-Yasha was somewhere far away from here. He decided to leave the question, unanswered. "How is she able to perform the same action as Kagome? As far as we know, Kikyo was the only other person known to execute such power." Inu-Yasha's mind drifted to his "dead" ex-girlfriend. He still had feelings for her that often entangled with the feelings he had for Kagome. He knew that Kagome was her reincarnated form, but Kagome was a lot different personality wise. "Is it possible that Nauki came from a line of Priestesses?" He pondered. "The girl was found in the woods miles from here, to die. She can only speak, apprently, when the timing is right. Other than that, she can only say two words. That being "mama" and "papa" which is referred to you and Kagome." "Inu-Yasha?" Shippo poked him. He looked up. "Leave me alone." "I know you don't like this anymore than I do, but Nauki might be dangerous," Miroku said. He glanced at Inu-Yasha who had a mortified expression on his face. "She can't be.." "She can be," Miroku corrected. "No, she can't be! I've spent a week with that child, Miroku! She hasn't shown any sign of aggression unless she has felt threatened. Even when she was afraid, she clung to me not moving! She was so petrified that she couldn't move!" "But that doesn't explain where that light came from.." He sighed. "I don't know where that light came from! I don't care! Nauki is not as dangerous as you two think she is!" He got up, stomping out of the hut, slamming the door behind him. "Why is he so hard to talk to.." "Because he loves her, and is standing up for her," Shippo said staring at the door. "Yes, he has gotten quite attached to the girl. Still...we need to find out where she came from. It would explain a lot about her abilities." Shippo nodded.  
  
Inu-Yasha sat on the rocks near the cold river. His mind was deep in thought. He didn't want to believe what Miroku had suggested. *There's no way that Nauki is evil. I don't sense anything evil about her.* He closed his eyes. When he was with her, he felt whole. More whole than when he was with Kagome. Inu-Yasha lowered his head. He could still remember how pale Nauki had been when he freed her from the chain around her ankle. He had ran as fast as he could to save her life. He still didn't understand why he had been so concerned about her. Her eyes kept sparkling in his mind. Nauki had beautiful purple eyes, a smile that melted his heart, and she loved him. What others thought of her, didn't concern him. She was the first child, or person that had accepted him for what he was, and wasn't afraid. She had snuggled up against him when he slept, and had wanted to feed him. Nauki was a special little girl. He knew that. He didn't want to let her go for anything in the world. Inu-Yasha felt his heart aching. He believed it was more of Nauki's sadness over what had happened, than his own. He sighed touching his chest lightly. *It's o.k., Little One, I'm not mad. I understand that you did it in self-defense.* The aching eased a little, but it was still there. Inu-Yasha knew he wasn't acting a bit like himself. Everything had changed a week ago when he had found her. His whole life was changing. He loved Kagome and wanted her to stay with him. At the same time, he was still battling his feelings over Kikyo, who constantly tried to kill him, but swore she still loved him. Now Nauki was in his life. A little girl who only wanted to be around him. *I don't understand what's happening...I don't even think I care if I ever understand. Nauki needs me, and in a way, I guess I need her, too.* Where she came from plagued him. Something in his heart told him she came from a place that he was a part of, and at the same time, a place he had never been. Inu-Yasha opened his eyes. The river in front of him gurgled a little. The cold air did not bother him. Once his heart had been just as frozen as the land around him. But over time, it was beginning to thaw. "I...I..nnn..uuu...Y...ash...a.." "Huh?" He turned around to see Nauki standing behind him with her head lowered. She didn't look at him. Her hands were behind her back waiting to be punished. She shifted her bare feet a little. "What happened to you calling me "Papa"?" Nauki shook her head. She didn't want to call him something he was uncomfortable with. Over the past few days she had thought a lot. Maybe he wasn't her papa. Maybe she wasn't suppose to be here. She knew she wasn't suppose to be here. Nauki didn't want to make things any more difficult than they already were. She bit her lower lip, wanting to cry, but she held back the tears. She really did like him. He had taken care of her, and saved her life. But that's not the reason she loved him. Nauki wanted to be around him because he had a soft beating heart. She liked the rhythmn his heart had. It sounded so much like the one she had heard in the demon world. She guessed it was more of her wishful thinking that he was the one she had been looking for. Nauki closed her eyes, shaking her head again. *I'm sorry...for everything. I didn't mean to call you something you're not..or to pounce Miroku....or to cause you to put off your quest..* She stepped back some, feeling like she should run just to make things easier, so he wouldn't feel burdened by her. Inu-Yasha felt everything she felt. He couldn't explain it. He felt her sadness, her desperation, her apology, her flighty spirit. She wanted to run from him. She was sorry and she was afraid. He gasped when the girl turned around quickly, only to run from him. "Nauki!" He yelled at her, but it was too late. Inu-Yasha got up quickly to chase her. He looked around wildly, but couldn't find a trace of her. He also noticed that there were no footprints in the snow. *Aw, Little One, where did you go?* He made his way back to the hut, not able to find Nauki. He had sniffed for her, tried to track her only to no avail. She was very good at hiding. It was odd that he couldn't find her because he could easily track most humans and demons alike. Inu-Yasha opened the door to his hut, not paying attention to the stares he recieved when he came inside alone. He sat down with his back to the wall, looking at the floor. He had no idea where she had gone. "Inu-Yasha, where's Nauki?" Kagome kneeled in front of him. "I don't know.." "I got this strange vibe from her that she wanted to apologize to you for something, so I let her go. Didn't you see her?" "I saw her, but she ran from me, and I can't find her." "You..can't find her? She'll freeze to death out there!" Inu-Yasha closed his eyes, the pain over his heart starting again. "She ran from me, Kagome. She was gone before I could track her." "Aw, do you think she's sad about what happened this morning," Shippo asked. "Very much so," Inu-Yasha answered, opening his eyes. "What happened?" Kagome looked from one to the other, neither answering. "Well? What happened?" "Nauki is able to emit the same flash of psychic powers you have, Kagome," Inu-Yasha said quietly. "What? How is that possible?" "I don't know...Shippo scared her to death by shifting into a demon, and Nauki sort of..held out her hands to ward him off out of fear." Shippo shrank, stepping back some. "I said I was sorry.." "Is that why Miroku asked me about her?" "Probably.." "He went to go see Kaede to ask her input on the situation," Shippo said. "There is NO situation!" Inu-Yasha raised his voice. Kagome placed her hand on his shoulder. "Look, I know you care about her." Inu-Yasha turned his head, afraid that his expression was going to relay more than he wanted them to know. "Miroku went to go ask Kaede because he has a premonition about what Nauki is. He wanted to be sure he was right," Kagome said. "And what does he think Nauki is.." The door opened. Kaede walked through with Miroku. "I believe Nauki is an Angel," She said. "A..what..?" Inu-Yasha's voice contained complete shock as he got quiet. "She has all of the symptoms of a particular Angel, but I do not have enough evidence, by what Miroku has told me, to make that sort of judgement." Kaede sat down while Miroku stood. "Nauki is able to exert psychic energy. You've told us that you can sense questions she wants to ask, and she has communicated in your dreams, Inu-Yasha," Miroku said. "I didn't actually think you would believe me," Inu-Yasha said, closing his eyes again, thinking only of the six year-old who had ran from him. He didn't know where she was and it was slowly tearing him apart. He was afraid that something was going to happen to her. "She was also found in the middle of nowhere, where someone had placed her to die. We, however, still haven't figured that one out yet," Miroku commented. "But her abilities are a hint in the direction of what she is." "Tell me more about why ye cannot find her, Inu-Yasha," Kaede asked. "I just can't find her. I sniffed for her, I looked in the snow...There weren't any footprints, and I couldn't find her scent." Kagome sat quietly looking amongst them. "Ye could not find the child's scent, Inu-Yasha, because she does not have one. Angels do not emit a scent. They are harder to track, and it is for their safety." "If Nauki is an Angel, shouldn't she have wings, or something? " He glared at Kaede. Knowing what it meant if they were right about the girl. "She probably does. Her wings, however, do not stay in full view. She can look like an ordinary human child, unless she is in great danger. Then her wings come out as a self-defense, to execute a powerful wave of energy to ward off her enemies," Kaede informed them. "What particular Angel do you think she is..Like there are different kinds..," Inu-Yasha stared at her hard. "There are. First, she could be what is known as an ArchAngel. A type of Angel that is mainly created for fighting against evil; to die for honor." He didn't like the sound of that. "There is also what is known as a Guardian Angel. An Angel that is meant to protect and defend a person, or a family," Miroku enlightened them. "Another type is called a Soul Angel. Also referred to as a Soul Child," Kaede said, deep in thought. "Soul child," Kagome asked. "Yes, child. A soul child is an angel that is taken from two people's souls. That type of angel is created without knowledge and knowing. It is a very powerful omen to come across one. Usually meant to bring peace, love, and honor to the very people that child is a part of. He, or she, holds certain characteristics that only those two people would recognize, and no one else." "So, what type of Angel is she," Inu-Yasha demanded. "We are not sure," Miroku said. "Nauki could be any of those. She has only shown one type of attack that she is capable of." "So you two barge in here, accussing her of being something she's not without any justified proof, or hard evidence!" Inu-Yasha got up, fixing to storm out of the hut. Kagome grabbed his hand. "Why are you so afraid of what she is?" Kagome looked up at him with her sad eyes. "Because he is aware of what it means, if the child turns out to be what we have said," Kaede commented. "What does it mean," Kagome asked, holding her hand to her chest. "It means that Nauki and Inu-Yasha will be in grave danger if the word gets out," Miroku looked Inu-Yasha over. "For to be raising, or associating with your enemy means certain death to demons." "You mean other demons would kill them?" "More precisley, they would be hunted and killed," Kaede corrected her. Miroku sized him up, looking him hard in the face. "Do you love that little girl enough to risk both of your lives, Inu-Yasha?" Inu-Yasha raised his eyes, looking Miroku back even harder, gritting his teeth. "I love Nauki enough to raise her and protect her! And none of you," He turned around, flexing his nails, "are going to have any say in what I feel, or do!" 


	8. Runaway

Chapter 8  
  
Inu-Yasha ran through the woods, scouting everywhere for his "daughter". He hopped into trees, and sniffed the air out of habit. He knew the girl didn't have a scent. "NAUKI! WHERE ARE YOU?!" No answer. He ran everywhere in the darkness. At certain points, he stopped as he breathed hard, his ears listening for any sound of her. Inu-Yasha was starting to feel frantic. He desperatly needed to find her. The temperature was dropping. "NAUKI!" Inu-Yasha ran off again, scouting the land. He was hoping to find any kind of footprints, or sign of where the girl had been. If he could just find out where she had been, he could head in the direction of where she might be. Everyone was helping him look. He didn't understand why they were offering their support considering how they seemed to feel about the child. Regardless, he was putting aside his anger for the moment. He just needed assistance in looking for her. "Nauki," Kagome called. She looked everywhere. For some strange reason, she found herself looking up in trees for the girl. There was no answer. Shippo was checking down by the river where Nauki was last seen. "Nauki," he called carefully, afraid he was still bait for her. "Where are you?" No answer. Kaede was checking around the village where she knew the girl had felt most comfortable. She thought the child would have came back to her hut because of the good memories the girl had with Inu-Yasha there. "Nauki child," she called. She went inside her hut. There was no answer. Miroku didn't bother to shout the girl's name. He knew she wouldn't answer. He just quietly walked through the woods, listening. The air was so still. The only sound he could hear was snow crunching under his frozen toes. *Maybe we were too hasty in assuming she has evil tendencies. Still, there is something hidden about that girl.* He walked farther into the forest. Miroku ended up farther down the river near the tree that Inu-Yasha had been bound to. He stopped, listening. He was getting some sort of vibration from the area. *I think we might be using the wrong methods to search for the girl.* He stared up at the tree with the broken vines wrapped around it. *This is the tree that Inu-Yasha was bound to by Kikyo's arrow.* He heard the smallest shift of movement. Miroku turned his head slowly. "He's looking everywhere for you." He heard a small gasp. "Inu-Yasha doesn't hate you, Nauki. It's the complete opposite of what you're thinking, Sunshine." Nauki came out from behind the large tree, rubbing her eyes. She had been crying for a little while. Her body was trembling from the cold. She bit her lower lip, looking up at the monk slowly, then down. "Why are you hiding from him?" He kneeled down trying not to seem threatening to the six year-old. "I'm..nno..t...s..supp-ose...to...be...he-re..yet...," She managed to say. Nauki stayed still. She could see Miroku wasn't going to approach her, and she was comfortable with that. He was confused about what she told him. He didn't understand what she meant by saying she wasn't suppose to be here yet. Miroku wondered why the girl was thinking the way she was. "Why do you think you're not suppose to be here yet?" "I'm...nno..t...s..supp-ose...to...be..he-re..yet..," Nauki repeated. It was the only thing she could say. She wished she could talk more, but she wasn't talking from her brain like they talked. She was talking from her heart. It was more difficult to get out because she was confused, and her emotions were jumbled. "Are you going to come back home," Miroku asked her. Nauki seemed a little shocked when she heard him say the word "home". He smiled at her a little, sitting down in the snow. "Inu-Yasha wants you to stay, Sunshine." He watched her sort out the pros and cons in her mind. Nauki looked up at him slowly. "He's been searching for you for hours. When you left, he pretty much told all of us off." Nauki shook her head not understanding. "He loves you more than you give him credit for, Sunshine. Inu-Yasha just has different ways of showing it." *He...does..love me?* Nauki's heart fluttered back to life like it had been slowly dying since she ran away. She walked slowly to Miroku. Stopping in front of him, she pushed in his nose. "Ready to go back?" She nodded. Miroku opened his arms. He was kind of surprised when Nauki wrapped her arms around him. She was freezing cold to the touch. He lifted her up and turned around to head back to the hut.  
  
Nauki's teeth chattered as Miroku put a blanket around her. He was trying his best to warm her back up. Her lips had turned a light blue color from being outside. He watched as she looked around the hut tiredly. "Ah, you can't go to sleep. Sorry, Sunshine," Miroku said lifting her chin back up. *I'm tired...* She tried to close her eyes, but when she did, Miroku lightly popped her cheek. *Why does he keep forcing me to stay awake?* "If you go to sleep, I'm afraid you won't wake back up. You're chilled to the bone. I still have to get the color back in your pretty face," he smiled at her. Miroku took each one of her hands into his, and started to rub his hands against them. The friction was helping a little. *Too bad I can't start a fire in here. She really needs it.* Kagome was the first to return. She had came back to see if anyone else had found anything. When she saw Nauki, she sat down in front of the girl quickly, examining her. "Miroku, her lips are blue! She'll get hypothermia!" "I don't know what hypothermia is, but we've got to warm her up. She's been trying to," He popped Nauki's cheek lightly,"go to sleep the entire time she's been back." "Too bad we can't start a fire in here. She needs to get warm fast." "That's what I was thinking," he said. Miroku started to rub Nauki's cold feet. Again, she tried to nod off. "Kagome?" Kagome reached up lightly popping Nauki on the cheek. The girl grumbled with her eyes half closed. For some reason, Kagome wanted to hold her. Without thinking, she reached forward, putting her arms around Nauki. She drew her close, laying Nauki's head on her shoulder. Miroku stopped rubbing Nauki's feet, entranced by what Kagome was unconsciously doing. *She's acting just like..her mother.* He thought back to what Nauki had said in the woods. (I'm nno..t...s..supp-ose..to..be..he- re..yet...) Kagome pressed Nauki to her as tightly as she could. Within seconds, Kagome was cradling Nauki in her coat. She started to blow hot air onto the girl's face, trying to warm her up. Miroku just sat and stared. Kagome was only aware of Nauki. She was not paying attention to Miroku, or anything else that was happening around her. Nauki's breathing was softening. Kagome knew she was asleep. She ran her fingers through the girl's silky hair, coaxing her into relaxing. Inu-Yasha came into the hut breathing hard. Snow was all in his hair, on his clothes, and his teeth were chattering. When he saw Kagome holding Nauki, he froze. His heart rate slowed down, calmness flowing over him. He left the door wide open, the snow blowing in the wind behind him. Walking numbly to where Kagome sat, Inu-Yasha slowly crouched down, watching her. He was aware that Kagome was trying her best to get Nauki warm. Nauki's blue lips caught his attention. He panicked. His heart started to race again, his breathing becoming quick and uneasy. He was afraid they had been too late in finding her. Inu-Yasha felt someone grab his arm. He turned around, his eyes wild with fright. Miroku was shaking his head at him. "She's o.k.," Miroku told him. "I found her near the tree that you were bound to fifty-five years ago." Inu-Yasha didn't understand. "Why..would she have been near that cursed tree?" He looked back to Kagome, who was now rubbing her hands up and down the girl's body trying to get circulation going. Miroku let go of Inu-Yasha's arm. He got up slowly. The weather outside was getting bad. Maybe he would make up to Sango. It had been two days since he saw her last, and that had been enough time for her to cool off. He walked out of the hut softly, leaving the two to care for the girl. Inu-Yasha sat down slowly still watching Kagome. He raised a claw wanting to touch her, but didn't dare. Everything Kagome was doing reminded him so much of his mother's love for him. He could see it in Kagome's eyes. She was taking care of Nauki just like a mother would. After a few moments, Kagome noticed he was sitting in front of her. She smiled at him faintly, glancing down at Nauki, then back up at him. "Is she...," he trailed off, afraid to ask. "She's sleeping," Kagome whispered. "I've got her a little warmer than she was when I came in." Inu-Yasha could see Nauki shaking with the chills all over her body. Children were smaller, thus, the cold effected them greater. Subconsciously, he leaned forward, putting his arms around Kagome. He pulled her forwards, pressing his body against Nauki and her. Kagome blushed, her breathing going shallow. She felt like she was panicking. Soon she realized Inu-Yasha was using his body heat to get Nauki warm. She relaxed. Closing her eyes, Kagome breathed in Inu-Yasha's smell. As her eyes were closed, she started to feel a new sense of awareness. They were becoming closer without really acknowledging it. Inu-Yasha closed his eyes, listening. He could hear Nauki breathing, and could feel Kagome's heart start to race, then calm down. He had scared her. Earlier he had followed his heart about the decision involving Nauki. Now he was following it once again. Inu-Yasha was realizing that Nauki was leading him to Kagome, and Kagome to Nauki. The riddles of the six year-old were increasing. Nauki moved her mouth a little, as if she were trying to say something in her sleep. She started to scratch lightly at Kagome, her small fingers brushing up against Inu-Yasha. Even though she was asleep, she was aware. She could hear Kagome's heart, and feel Inu-Yasha's close by. In her sleep, Nauki's heart danced. They were together. Something she had been waiting for, for a long time. The feeling of completeness, washed over Kagome and Inu-Yasha. They were both more relaxed, more mellow. Inu-Yasha didn't mind showing his affectionate side when it was just him and Kagome. He had the strangest feeling that he was opening himself at times when he was suppose to so he wouldn't feel like he had to. Kagome unconsciously laid her head on his shoulder, forgetting for a moment who had his arms wrapped around her. She relaxed so much that she wanted to fall asleep just like the girl in her arms. When Kagome's warning signal kicked in, Inu-Yasha just drew her closer. He laid his head against Kagome's, his mind in thought again. What was coming over him? Feelings that he had bottled up for years were pouring out of him. They weren't exactly rushing out, but flowing out and staying within the same circle he was sitting in. He didn't quite understand it. *It's like Nauki and Kagome are making me feel completely whole.* As he thought it, Nauki moved. She rubbed her eyes, then turned around slowly, laying the back of her head against his chest. All the while, her cheek was still touching Kagome. One hand was still scratching lightly at Kagome's right arm, the other was resting neatly against Inu- Yasha's leg. Nauki mumbled, "I..lo..ve..my..ma-ma..and..pa..pa...," then drifted back to sleep. Both Inu-Yasha and Kagome's ears picked it up. Kagome opened her eyes, staring wide at the little girl. She studied her. *From the side, Nauki looks just like Inu-Yasha...Her bangs, and tresses look just like his..* Inu-Yasha was looking hard at Kagome, reflecting on something entirely different. He was noticing that Nauki's personality was free- spirited like Kagome's. She was also quick to temper, and stubborn like him. If Nauki was an Angel, he was praying she wasn't an Archangel. He didn't want to lose her. Inu-Yasha felt like he was more than just attached to the child. He felt more like Nauki was a missing part of him. Which left two other options: Guardian Angel, or Soul Angel. "Do you really think she's an Angel," Kagome asked, breathing slowly as if she were in total awe of the girl. Inu-Yasha didn't answer right away. He was still thinking of the possibilities. *If Nauki is an Angel, then Miroku is right..I will be raising my enemy. It will put me and Nauki in great danger. I don't want to put her in danger like Kagome is faced with all of the time.* He breathed out carefully watching the girl laying on him. She was fast asleep, her small head going forwards and backwards with the movement of his breathing.  
  
"What are you thinking about," Kagome asked looking up at him with soft-hearted eyes. She was kind of afraid to ask because Inu-Yasha was secretive and reserved about his thoughts. He didn't like anyone to know more than they had to about him. "I keep thinking about what Miroku said about raising my enemy," he answered. He bent down slowly putting his chin on the top of Nauki's head. Kagome watched him. She could see him battling his emotions. He was getting very attached to the six year-old he knew nothing about. She wondered what Nauki had done to change Inu-Yasha so greatly in the past two weeks. "You..care for her, don't you?" She sat up looking him in the face, watching how he closed his eyes when she asked. She already knew the answer. "Why are you so afraid to admit what you feel?" Inu-Yasha sat up straight, looking off to his right. "Because when I do, I get hurt." Nauki stirred a little, her ears picking up what he said. "I..w- won..'t...h..ur..t...you...pa..pa...," she mumbled. She moved her head so her ear was right over his heart, listening for any kind of a reaction. Inu-Yasha heard her all too well. He was surprised that she had heard him, and by what she had said. He moved his head to look at her again. The emotions that were generating from Nauki scared him. He still couldn't figure out how he was able to feel things that she felt. The child in his lap was so full of love and innnocence, something he once was. Kagome smiled faintly at him. She knew he was afraid. He was so afraid of Nauki's pure innocence, that he was lightly shaking. Inu-Yasha was half-demon, thus, half evil. To Kagome, he wasn't evil at all. Just afraid of the truth. "She's not going to hurt you, Inu-Yasha. She's a child. Children don't know what evil is." He gasped, looking at Kagome quickly, having heard that piece of advice before from Kaede. He studied her for a moment. He wasn't sure. Inu- Yasha didn't realize he was shaking. He was too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice. Kagome placed both of her hands on his face, making him look at her. He tried to look away from her, the emotions flowing through his face. She could see it in his eyes. "Look at me." He turned his head. She just turned him back. "Inu-Yasha, look at me." She gasped. His eyes were welling up with tears. "Let go of me, Kagome," he said quietly, his voice kind of shakey. She let go, not realizing how much he was being affected by the child in his lap. "Why are you so afraid of her?" Kagome rubbed her nose up against his cheek, trying to make him feel better. "I'm...not afraid of her..It's just..." He shook his head. "It's just what..?" She leaned back watching him close his eyes again. "You still feel after these past few years that you cannot tell me anything?" She had a hurt look on her face. Inu-Yasha didn't look at her. "It's not..that I can't tell you anything. It's more like..I don't..know how to tell you." He laid his cheek on Nauki's head, looking away. Kagome bent down, caressing his face. "Why not just say it?" She smiled at him. "I don't bite, Inu-Yasha." He slowly looked into her eyes. He bit his lip, looking away again. "Please tell me? I haven't hurt you once," she said. Inu-Yasha swallowed hard. He wrapped his arms around Nauki. He wasn't too sure if he ought to tell Kagome. The past turned its ugly head. She seemed to know what he was thinking about. Kagome sighed. "I'm not Kikyo," she said quietly, closing her eyes as she turned around. "And I do trust you..I know you would never hurt me..." Inu-Yasha looked down. He slowly raised his left arm. *What if she hits me? No! I've...got to stop being afraid of myself.* He lightly put his arm around Kagome's waist and drew her back towards him. "Huh?" Kagome felt herself being pulled back. Her heart started to race, but calmed down again. She turned her head. She could see he was afraid to show the slightest hint of affection towards her. When he had pulled her far enough back, he swallowed hard again. Kagome hadn't hit him. He was relieved. Taking another chance he leaned his head towards her. As he did, Kagome turned around her head in his direction. He laid his head on her forehead. Kagome wrapped her arms around his waist. She knew he was entirely afraid of what her reaction would be. Very gently, she closed her eyes, kissing him on the cheek. She could feel him tensing, not really knowing what to expect. He panicked a little. *O.k...she's not afraid of me. Then, man, what does this mean. I..* He closed his eyes hard, feeling flighty. *I can't run from her. Kagome's..not..going to hurt me. She's..not..going to hurt me.* Kagome kissed him again tenderly on the cheek. She kept repeating what she was doing, until his breathing became calmer. Once he relaxed, Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck. She just wanted to be near him. The years of him rescuing her had caused a fond affection to grow inside of her. He dared to take a chance. Inu-Yasha held Kagome harder with one arm, pressing his cheek against hers. "I...love..you..Kagome," he whispered. She smiled, turning to face him. "I thought as much," she said sternly, putting her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes. Inu-Yasha had a bewildered look on his face. *Huh? What just happened?! She told me to open up to her?!* His eyes became wider thinking he was going to get smacked. Kagome bent closer to him. Her mood shifted within three point five seconds. She kissed him tenderly on the lips. As she broke away, she looked at him fondly. "Because I love you, too." Now he was confused. "Then why did you just look at me like you were going to beat the tar out of me?!" "Oh, just to mess with you," She laughed a little. "Kagome....that is nowhere near...funny," He gritted his teeth. His anger didn't last long. Kagome kissed him again, but deeper, changing his mood instantly. *She really does love me.* As he was getting into kissing her back, a warning signal kicked in from the back of his mind. He had forgotten about Nauki being asleep in between them. He gently tapped on Kagome's shoulder. She stopped kissing him, tilting her head slowly. "Did I do something wrong?" "No," he shook his head at her. "but um..." He pointed down to Nauki who was still asleep. "Oops. Guess I got kind of carried away," She waved a hand at him, shrugging it off. "Sorry." "You're not the only one," he leaned in, kissing her on the lips again. Kagome closed her eyes, enjoying the moment. Nauki stirred a little, turning around. Both of them froze. "Maybe, we ought to wait when she's not, you know, sleeping on you," Kagome said. "Good idea," Inu-Yasha said. Still, he did like kissing Kagome. He smiled a little, looking at her. "N..o...iss..ing...," Nauki mumbled. She yawned big, stretching, then curled back up. "Have you realized that she tends to talk more when she's asleep, than when she's awake?" "Yeah," he said. "What I can't figure out is where she's learning words. When she's awake, she doesn't try to talk, or bother. If she does, she doesn't say much." "Well, you told me the only thing you've heard her say is "Papa"," Kagome said. "Have you figured out who her dad is?" He shook his head. "Um, she's said another word, too." Kagome blinked. "Mama." "Whose her mother?" "She was referring to you when you left," he told her. "Me? How do you know it was me she was referring to?" "Because it was right after you left yesterday, Kagome. She was looking in the direction of where I had just been. She stretched out her hand and was calling you." "But..Inu-Yasha, I'm not her mother." "And I'm not her father. This is all a big riddle that we have to figure out." "I agree." They both looked down at the small six year-old who was sleeping hard on Inu-Yasha. 


	9. Return for the Shard

Chapter 9  
  
She felt someone pulling on one of her tresses. Nauki opened her eyes slowly, the bright light of the sun coming through the cracks in the hut. She had forgotten that she had ran away yesterday. She had also forgotten how much trouble she had caused Inu-Yasha. She glanced up at him, not having a clue how she had gotten in his lap. Nauki started to recall everything that had happened yesterday. She swallowed hard, shrinking back, afraid he was angry with her. He watched her get out of his lap, not looking at him. Inu-Yasha just watched the girl, not moving. He knew she was remembering everything from yesterday. He didn't say a word, just sat. Nauki moved a few feet from him, sitting on her rear. She felt uncomfortable being in his hut considering how she had taken off from him. Miroku had told her that Inu-Yasha did love her, just didn't know how to express it. He wanted her to stay, but was what Miroku said true? Nauki doubted what the monk told her. He was an odd character that she had to deal with. She didn't trust beings that she couldn't tell straight up if they were good or evil. To her, there was no in between. She had never met anyone else like herself. She slowly looked up at Inu-Yasha, her eyes full of sadness. Nauki didn't remember anything she had mumbled in her sleep, or what had happened last night. She could sense that he was afraid of her. She shrank back even more. *I shouldn't have came back with Miroku.* Nauki lowered her head, drawing herself into her own world again. She started to constantly grab her hands, not aware of anything else. Her heart felt like it was caving in. She didn't want to feel this way. Inu-Yasha could tell the poor girl was jumbled with emotions. He watched her curiously wondering why a child could be fillled with so much sadness. It was tormenting enough to watch her suffer. He still didn't know what was coming over him. Inu-Yasha wanted to take care of her, he felt like it was his duty. He wasn't able to explain it. He WANTED to raise her, be there for her. She reminded him so much of what he had to deal with when his mother died. Everyone had turned against him for what he was. He was sure that Nauki felt like she was being turned against without even getting a chance. He was willing to give her that chance. Inu-Yasha's feelings were subconscious. He started to realize that his actions were not his own. Something in the back of his mind was telling him he was suppose to take care of her. The strange vibes he was getting from the girl increased. She wanted him to know who and what she was. But Nauki was afraid of telling him. She was also not able to communicate in ways that normal people communicated. Inu-Yasha closed his eyes. He was going to try again to sense everything she felt. It had happened at the river when she had almost hurt them in the hut with her psychic abilities. He knew he was taking a chance. He didn't know anything about the girl. Miroku and Kaede still believed she was an Angel. Whether she was or not, he didn't care. He was tired of the way she had been treated by others. Whoever had left her to die, became more tragic to him day after day when Nauki opened herself to him. She was so full of life, and had never really lived. As he sat quietly, Nauki piddled with her hands. She didn't want to look at him. Everything that had happened in the past two weeks came to life in her mind. She knew he had a good side, he also had a bad side-he was half-demon. Nauki tried to focus on how he played with her, took care of her, and from what Miroku said, stood up for her. Even though he meant well, she knew he was afraid of what she was. It meant danger and obstacles for him. Things she wasn't going to allow to happen. *I don't want him to get hurt because of me.* Inu-Yasha felt like he was reading her emotions and her thoughts. Nauki was so full of sadness that it echoed within his heart. She was opening herself to him without realizing it. He had no idea if she could be opening herself to others in the area. Now he knew how it was for Kagome to feel the way she felt about him, and not portray it. Kagome knew he was a wall inside. Inu-Yasha didn't want to block either of them out. He was still full of pain with what had happened with Kikyo. Every time he thought of her, his heart ached. He could remember the past so well. Even though she had bound him to the tree, thinking he had betrayed her, she had still wanted to die to be with him. He couldn't ignore that. His mind started to flash back to what Nauki had said in her sleep last night. She tended to mumble riddles. (I love my mama and papa.) (I won't hurt you papa.) The two phrases echoed and repeated constantly in his mind. One thing he did know was that Angels were not capable of lying. They had no idea what a lie is. *Who is her mama and papa? She can't be talking about me and Kagome. We don't have any kids. Me and Kagome are not that intimate with each other. We just managed to express ourselves last night.* Nauki stared at the floor. She had no idea what he was thinking about. She felt so flighty, she couldn't control it. Her heart was beating so fast, her lungs breathing so hard, she felt faint. Inu-Yasha noticed how much the child was hyperventilating. She was afraid of his reactions, and he was afraid of her emotions. He had promised Nauki that he would try to be her father. Getting up, he walked slowly to her. She seemed to panic more the closer he got. Very carefully, Inu-Yasha sat down in front of her waiting for her to adjust to his prescence. When she calmed down some, he leaned forward, nudging her forehead with his nose. She was afraid to look at him. "Little One," he whispered. She glanced up at him, her eyes showing how afraid she was. He bent down closer, licking her cheek. Nauki didn't know what to think when he started to lick her. She was expecting him to scold her, throw her out, beat her, something besides show affection towards her. Gently, she reached her hand up, lightly scratching at his chest. Inu-Yasha felt her hand, which only increased him licking her. He wanted her to relax. He wasn't mad at her to begin with, only worried. Inu- Yasha started to move her head around so he could clean her properly. Nauki only closed her eyes in return, letting him. He couldn't help being part dog demon. His instincts were taking over as a parent. Inu-Yasha cleaned her face then moved on to clean behind her ears and neck. Nauki was slightly cautious of calling him "papa". She didn't want him to be scared of her. "I...nnu..y..as..sa...," she called, her voice shakey. He stopped cleaning her. He looked down at her, moving her head so he could look directly in her eyes. "Don't call me that," he said sternly. Nauki tried to lower her head in shame. "You're suppose to call me "papa"." Nauki looked up at him in confusion. *He wants me..to call him that? But..he doesn't want to be..* She blinked her eyes at him sadly. *I don't want to be a burden. I can go somewhere else.* Inu-Yasha kissed her lightly on the cheek, as he put his hand to the back of her head. He pulled her towards him, wrapping both of his arms around her. "I don't want you to go somewhere else," he said, rubbing his cheek against her head. *He's..reading me? How..can he hear me..?* Nauki looked up gently, tilting her head slowly. Inu-Yasha closed his eyes, rubbing his nose against hers. "I don't know how I'm able to understand you, Nauki." He opened his eyes looking into her sparkling purple eyes. "All I know, is I want to." Nauki looked back at him, smiling a little. She moved her hand and placed it on his cheek, scratching a little. Her heart started to flutter again, but not in fear. Inu-Yasha smiled back at her kissing her on the lips. "Besides, you're still filthy." He started to clean her face again as she squirmed. *I don't want a bath!* Didn't do any good. Nauki felt herself being somewhat held down by him. *Papa!* "You're still getting one," Inu-Yasha said. He smirked as Nauki crossed her arms, lowly growling at him. Once he was finished cleaning her face, he let her go outside. Nauki didn't know what to think since everyone was gone. The little squirrel boy wasn't around, neither was the monk. And where was her mama? She sniffed the air. She smelled someone coming. Nauki sniffed harder, drawing in the scent. *I think it's Miroku. Someone's with him. Sounds like a woman.* She tilted her head as Miroku walked out of the forest with a young woman by his side. She had long black hair, dark eyes, and her hair was held back by a ponytail. When the woman caught sight of her, she stopped, pointing at her. Nauki could easily hear the woman talking about her. "Is that the little girl Inu-Yasha saved?" Miroku nodded. "Aw, she's so cute." The woman started to walk towards the hut. Nauki stayed still. Inu-Yasha walked outside, eyeing Miroku and Sango. "So I take it you two made up." He crossed his arms, closing his eyes matter-of-factly. "So this is where you went," Sango gave Miroku a narrowed glance. He just smiled embarassingly. "Well, at least I have some satisfaction in knowing you didn't have a peaceful night," she said wickedly. Nauki was starting to like this woman. Inu-Yasha picked Nauki up out of the snow. He had forgotten that she didn't have any sandels yet. He brushed the snow off of her. "You're letting her walk around with no sandels," Sango eyed Inu- Yasha with an "I can't believe you" look. "I just haven't gotten her any yet," Inu-Yasha shot back. "Oh, you would let her freeze in this weather," Sango shot back, raising a fist. He narrowed his eyes at her. Miroku didn't know what to do. He didn't know whether to get involved in the fight, or to stop it. He just stood there, shaking his head. Nauki didn't like the idea of anyone fighting. She knew her papa was getting heated with this woman. The more tense he got in the arguement, the more she narrowed her eyes. Nauki soon started to scratch his cheek, but he was ignoring her. "Oh, please...," Sango rolled her eyes. "I just came here to make sure she was alive with you watching her." "Hey! I do remember saving your butt a time or two!" "No one asked you to." Inu-Yasha growled. Nauki licked his cheek slowly. She tilted her head as he looked at her. His anger left him. Sango watched Inu-Yasha do a one-eighty in personality once the girl he held got his attention. She couldn't believe it. Usually he was so stubborn. "Are you two threw arguing," Miroku asked. Inu-Yasha turned around going inside. He left Sango and Miroku standing there. Miroku walked in watching Inu-Yasha set Nauki down. "Are you planning on going after that shard?" "You can bet your hookie predictions I'm going after it," he answered. Sango peeked out from behind Miroku watching Inu-Yasha curiously. "What are you planning on doing with Nauki?" Inu-Yasha froze. He hadn't thought about that. "Uh..." "Don't tell me you plan on taking her with us," Miroku said. "She might get hurt considering with what we deal with." Inu-Yasha sighed. "I know. That's the problem. I don't want to leave her." Nauki did not like the sound of this. She had just found her papa. She didn't want him to go anywhere, especially not on some quest where he might get hurt. She was suppose to protect him. Sango watched as the little girl got a very sad look on her face. She swore she was going to start crying. *Her name...I've heard that name before...* Inu-Yasha noticed the expression on Nauki's face. He grabbed her, holding her close. "Nauki, if I go, you're going to have to stay with Kaede. I don't want you going on a quest with us. You could get seriously hurt. We tend to battle strong demons, and that's not something that you need to be around." Nauki shook her head at him. *I don't want you to get hurt. I want you to stay with me forever and ever.* She clutched onto him, burying her head in his shoulder. "Hey, I'm tough remember? I'm a half-demon. There's not a demon or a human that can keep me down, Little One." "She didn't say anything, did she," Sango asked, looking at Miroku. He only shook his head at her. "No, she communicates in a way only Inu-Yasha understands." Sango bent down next to Inu-Yasha. "Do you know what her name means," she asked him. "Her name?" "Yes, her name has a special meaning. Just like everyone's." He shook his head at her with Nauki tilting her head, examining Sango. "Her name means 'Spirit of the Heart'," Sango informed them. *She figured out the meaning of my name?* Nauki smiled at Sango. She cooed at her. Inu-Yasha looked back at Nauki. "Is that what your name means?" Nauki licked the tip of his nose. *Yep!* "Miroku told me how you found her," Sango said. She touched Nauki's cheek lightly. "You have very pretty eyes." *You're deeply saddened by something in the past.* Nauki looked into Sango's eyes. They held all of the truth in the world to the girl. "It pains me to see someone abuse a child. Especially one like her." Sango stroked Nauki's cheek. The girl closed her eyes. She liked Sango. Nauki kind of found her funny in a way. She had a serious attitude, and held her ground well when she believed in something. "When do you plan on us leaving to look for the shard," Sango asked. "I don't know yet. I have to ask Kaede to look after Nauki," Inu- Yasha said. "Do you think it's wise to leave her so soon? She's kind of attached to you," Sango replied. "It's that noticeable huh." "Yeah, I'd say so. I've never seen you act calm unless something was troubling you." Nauki only smiled in return. "Still, we have to make a decision about when to leave. You might as well go ahead and ask Kaede if she will watch her," Miroku said. He could tell Nauki was not liking the idea of being left alone with the old woman. The six year-old mmrphed at their decision. Inu-Yasha looked at her. "You can't go, Nauki." He got up. Nauki crossed her legs on the floor not moving. He knew it was going to come to this. She wasn't going to go willingly. He crouched giving her a narrowed glance. Then he scooped her up as she kicked her legs in defiance. "Are you sure about this," Sango asked watching the girl throw a tantrum. "Yep, let's go," Inu-Yasha said opening the door.  
  
They walked through the barrian snow each slightly shivering from the gust of wind that was blowing in their direction. Miroku walked in front of Sango in order to shield her from the wind. the gesture was very touching. "Arg, this wind is rediculous," Inu-Yasha growled putting his arm in front of his face to keep the air off of him. "It seems there are forces moving against us," Miroku yelled over the sound of the wind. "Either way, we've got to get out of this wind! It won't do us any good to freeze to death." Inu-Yasha yelled ahead of the group. The group walked fruther on in need of shelter. They had agreed to continue their journey once the wind and snow had died down. Miroku spotted a hallowed out tree with shelter in the roots. The group made camp without the aid of starting a fire due to the chance of burning the tree down. "The weather wasn't this bad when we left," Miroku commented. Inu-Yasha was looking out of the tree through a crevice with his knees brought up to his chest. He kept thinking about the little girl he had left with Kaede. (You can't go, Nauki.) She had held onto him for as longa s she could. He was debating about the way he had left her. She had stood there in the snow refusing to go inside Kaede's hut. he had kneeled in front o fher, hugging her tightly as the girl buried her head in his chest. Nauki had let go, knowing he was going to go anyway. Inu- Yasha had nudged her cheek softly then let go of her quickly to turn around and run away. He hadn't looked at her, knowing she was going to cry. "I hope she's okay," he thought. Miroku glanced at Inu-Yasha wondering what he was thinking about. Kagome had not been told of the trip. He wondered if Inu-Yasha's mind was drifting to her, or the 6 year-old he had left behind. "Is he okay," Sango asked, nodding to Inu-Yasha. Miroku looked up in Inu-Yasha's direction. "I think he is." Inu-Yasha felt their eyes on him. He looked at them. "What are you two staring at?!" "Oh, yeah, he's fine," Sango said rolling her eyes. Miroku turned back around huddling against her. "What is troubling you?" Inu-Yasha looked away, debating about whether to tell Miroku or not. He thought again about Nauki mumbling in her sleep. (I won't hurt you, papa.) He closed his eyes opening himself. *I believe you, Little One.* "I'm thinking about Nauki," he finally told them, his heart aching at leaving the little girl who had became attached to him in the short amount of time that he had known her. "It wouldn't have been right to bring her with us," Miroku said. "It's not that. It's...how I left her." Sango raised an eyebrow. "How did you leave her?" Inu-Yasha sighed. "Like she didn't matter." Sango frowned, looking down. "I know what I did wasn't right. I just didn't want her to cry over me." he paused, thinking. "I left in a hurry because I didn't want it to be more difficult than it already was. She's only been away from me for a few hours since me and Kagome found her." "That sort of makes sense," Sango confirmed. "When w get back, just make sure you explain things to her in a way she'll understand." Inu-Yasha nodded.  
  
Within hours, the wind had died down, but it was already dark so they were going to have to continue their journey in the morning. Mrioku managed to start a fire outside the hallowed out tree. He and Sango slept at the entrance near the fire. Inu-Yasha tried to sleep as he tossed and tturned near them. *Why can't I sleep?* He laid on his back looking up at the tree. He was half-expecti8ng Nauki to come out from somewhere rubbing her eyes trying to lay on him. *Arg, I don't believe this! I'm so used to having her near me that I can't sleep!* Inu-Yasha closed his eyes, his mind totally alert. He was going to force himself to go to sleep. Lord knows what they were going to face when they found the shard. After much tossing and turning, he finally fell to sleep a few hours before dawn. Sango shook Inu-Yasha. He was dead to the world. "Inu-Yasha, it's time to get up." She shook him again, harder. "I would say throw some water on him, but that might be asking for it," Miroku said. "No, I wouldn't do that. I heard him tossing and turning all night." Kirara crawled out of Sango's pack, shaking her head. She sniffed the air making her way over to Sango. Kirara licked her hand then scratched behind one of her ears. "Think you could carry him?" Sango smiled as Kirara nodded slowly. "He sure is tired. Amazing how a 6 year-old can wear him out just as much as fighting demons." With the help of Miroku, Sango managed to get Inu-Yasha onto Kirara's back. Kirara glanced behind her as Inu-Yasha drowsily laid his head up against Sango's back with Miroku holding him on. "The things I do," Sango said as she felt Inu-Yasha laying against her. "He'll appreciate it when he wakes up. Although, he won't admit it," Miroku said dryly. "I still think we should have brought Kagome. She's the only one who can properly sense the shard," Sango said as Kirara walked through the snow. "Where are we going anyway?" "We're headed in the direction wehre Inu-Yasha and Kagome were looking for the shard." "It could have moved since then, Miroku. That was two weeks ago." "I know, but I don't think it has." "What makes you say that?" "I'm a monk, remember? I can tell whent here's an evil precense nearby. There's difinatly one in the direction we're going." "I hope you're right."  
  
The troupe came upon a patch of snow in the forest containing a warning etched into a board of wood. Miroku got off of Kirara to investigate. "This isn't a good sign. It's relaying a curse on whoever goes past this point." "Must mean there's a sacred relic nearby, or something," Sango said looking around. "Or, something dangerous," Inu-Yasha said from behind her as he sat up. He noticed they had carried him along instead of waking him. He hopped off of Kirara, moving his neck around. At twenty-two, his long, silver hair was past his rear, and he had gotten a half a foot taller in height. His demonic blood had been increasing his strength, stealth, and abilities over the past five years. "I smell someting loathing nearby." Miroku and Sango glanced around quickly. Kirara growled, arching her mouth as a warning to her foot long sabres. Neither one of them saw anything, but they dared not move. Inu-Yasha however, never backed down from anyone. He stepped a hair past the warning in the etched wood. An arrow shot out from nowhere, almost making its sharp edged point into his leg. He shot back quickly, his shoulders raised, body tense. Inu-Yasha growled. "I don't know who you are, but you're a coward if you can't show yourself to fight me," he yelled at the top of his lungs, fists clenched. "Are you sure it's wise to taunt whatever shot that arrow," Sango asked. She put her hand on her boomerang, standing her ground firm. No one knew what was out there. Kikyo crossed her mind, but she didn't believe it was the dead priestess. "You must learn to fight without your eyesight, for it is your weakness," said a low, deep voice. Another arrow shot out of nowhere, from a different direction. This time it landed about a foot from Sango. Whoever it was, was taunting them. "You have been warned travellar," the voice said again. "Move away from this area if you know what's best for you." Sango put her hand on Inu-Yasha's shoulder. "We can't attack something we can't see, Inu-Yasha. We should come up with a plan." For once, he agreed. "Alright, but I will find out what is going on." The troupe got back on Kirara. The sabretooth feline, turned her head around as she started to walk off slowly. "See? Even Kirara doesn't like this. Do ya girl?" Inu-Yasha looked down at her, his eyes then glancing behind him, eyes narrowing. "Warriors don't back down from fights." "Neither do they live long if they aren't prepared to fight," Miroku said, looking at him hard. He watched Inu-Yasha scowl. "You have no idea what it is, or where the arrows are coming from. None of us do. The best thing to do would be to find out why there is a warning in this forest." As the group walked back the way they came, a young boy was seen running past them. Miroku turned around. "Hey, kid, don't go that way! There's a curse written on a wooden board in the snow!" The boy stopped. He turned around, eying Miroku strangely. "Of course there is." Inu-Yasha hopped down, raising a fist at the boy. "Of course there is?! Does that mean you know already?!" The boy nodded. He raised a brow at Inu-Yasha. "Hey, you're a demon." "Never mind that," Sango said getting off of Kirara as well. "What do you know about the curse?" She bent down some, looking into the boy's eyes. "The curse? Our village put it up to ward off the monster that comes at night," the boy informed them. "Monster?" Inu-Yasha blinked his eyes. "Do you expect us to believe that," he yelled. Miroku put his hand on Inu-Yasha's shoulder, calming him. "What my friend means, is what proof do you have of a monster attacking your village?" "It comes at night to steal the children away. That's why Hitori, the archer from the village, stays out in the forest. He has been trained to find the monster and destroy it." "So that's who we ran into it," Sango said quietly. "This archer that you speak of, how does he know what the monster looks like," Miroku asked. "He doesn't. Hitori is blind," the boy said. "WHAT," the group shouted. "No one knows what the monster looks like. All we know is that it is swift and comes at night. Hitori has trained himself to listen to each animals' movements so he can distinguish one from the other." "So let me get this straight. Some creature, or animal as you put it, has been coming to your village stealing children away in the night," Inu- Yasha said, crossing his arms. The boy nodded. "Well if this Hitori person is suppose to be good at capturing the creature, how come it hasn't happened yet?" The boy's eyes got wide, his hope fading. "What are you saying?" "Children are still getting captured, it is obvious, or the archer wouldn't have a purpose to be hiding in the forest," Miroku said. "If the archer has been trained to kill the monster, then why is the monster still snatching children? Either the archer is not as good as he claims to be, or there is no monster." "Or the monster is the archer," Inu-Yasha said. "Hitori is not a monster! He is a kind-hearted man who spends his time playing with the children of the village and helping the women! Now that he is blind, he cannot see the ones that adore him," the boy shouted, tears starting to stream down his face as he looked down. Sango bent down to comfort him. "It's alright. I know how you feel. Someone dear to me was lost, too." The boy looked up at her, rubbing his eyes. "It's not fair that the priestess cannot ward off the monster..." "Priestess?" Inu-Yasha stopped, his heart racing. "What priestess?!" "Inu-Yasha....it is probably not the same one you are thinking of," Miroku said. "Fuyu, the priestess in our village, has tried every tailsman she has to keep the village safe. I have seen her sit at the village entrance, chanting incantations for hours, but none of them work," the boy said. "By the way, what's your name," Sango asked, smiling at him. "Natori," the boy answered. "How about we go talk to the priestess at your village and see if we can help," Sango said. The boy's face lit up. "You would do that for us?" "Of course, it's what we do," Inu-Yasha said.  
  
Natori led the group away from the area where the warning was posted. Instead, he started to walk further to the right, then back in a huge circle. As they walked with the boy, the group took the liberty to look around the area in order to analyze the situation better. Could they really believe that blind archer was hunting for a monster that kept coming back each night? "Inu-Yasha," Kagome got his attention. He glanced at her slowly to acknowledge her, then went back to staring straight ahead. "Do you really think that Hitori is blind?" "I have no idea," he answered plainly. "Anything is possible in this era. What I don't believe is that a priestess and an archer, two defenses, wouldn't be successful in catching a monster that comes at night to steal children." "It is very strange for them not to see the monster, yet it still comes," Sango said. "There is something fishy about the story," Miroku said, closing his eyes in thought. "You don't suspect the boy is lying, do you," Sango asked Miroku. "No," he shook his head. "I believe he has been lied to, as has everyone else."  
  
When they got to the village, the people were less friendly. They were afraid, not aware of how the group had managed to get past the guard. A few people who had been outside, ran indoors, barricading the entrances to their huts. One old man started to shout for the priestess. He was yelling obsenities at the group. "Hey, old man, why don't you buzz off?! We don't have to help you," Inu-Yasha snarled. He protectively put his claws over Kagome's ears as the man's language managed to get worse. Natori ran in front of the old man who had his fist raised at Inu- Yasha. He put his arms on the old man's stomach, pushing him back. "It's o.k. Yumanich! They're here to help us!" The boy looked into the old man's eyes pleadingly. "Help us? How can they help us?! We have a priestess who spends countless hours saying incantations to ward off the evil spirit of the nightmonster! We even have Hitori standing watch at the entrance to the village! No one can save us from this plague of a demon!" The old man turned around, running back into the safety of his quarters. The poor boy, Natori, couldn't believe his ears. He wanted to believe so much that he had found the right people to help him. If the priestess and the archer could not kill the monster, perhaps the strange group could.  
  
Sango put her hand on the boy's shoulder. "It's alright. Sometimes it takes people a while to see what wonders you have done." The boy looked up at her. "They will see that you didn't make a mistake in bringing us, Natori." "And if that old geaser gives you any trouble about it, I'll wring his wrinkly neck," Inu-Yasha said gruffly. The boy smiled. Maybe he had done the right thing, after all. 


	10. Village Curse

Chapter 10  
Nauki patted the rice flour in the wooden bowl with her hands. She watched as it made small clouds in the air. Giggling, she closed her eyes, patting the flour harder. Kaede turned her head watching the small girl as she enjoyed herself. She smiled at her. The wind blew outside, rattling the skeletal tree branches covered in snow. "Ye like helping old Kaede cook?" Nauki opened her eyes, cooing at her, then started to pat the floor again, giggling. "I thought as much." "Tieday, cwouds," Nauki said pointing to the flour as it lifted into the air. "I see ye have found out how to turn the flour into dust," she said. "Would ye like to make something for Inu-Yasha?" Nauki thought. "Papa wike dump-wings." Kaede put her finger in the flour, then put a small amount on the child's nose. "I never had any children of my own. Ye papa is glad to have a good girl like ye. Ye haven't cried one bit since he's been gone." Nauki blinked her eyes. She hadn't realized that Inu-Yasha was missing. She had been having too much fun helping and cooking with Kaede. Nauki's bottom lip quivered. "P...pa..pa," she whimpered. The girl started to cry softly, her tears dropping into the flour. Kaede rolled her eyes, sulking a bit. She just had to bring it to the child's attention. She kneaded the dough, letting the girl cry it out. "Oh, my..."  
  
"I still don't understand how an archer, even though he is blind, cannot stop a monster he has been trained to kill. Nor you who protect the village with incantations," Sango said as she stood behind the priestess, watching her sift through a few tailsmans. "The monster that comes at night is a very tricky beast. It has no shape, or form. Only sound," the priestes, Fuyu, told her. "It does not come during the day when the villagers are awake and alert. It waits until nightfall when only a few stand guard. Chanting incantations drains me of strength. Hitori has to rest, also, for standing guard in the forest diplenishes his energy." Sango thought for a moment. *A creature without shape or form that steals children at night? Why only at night?* "Thank you, for making it clearer what we are up against, Fuyu." Sango left the priestess' hut. Something didn't seem right. "Learn anything else besides what Natori told us," Miroku asked watching Sango's puzzled expression. "The creature has no shape, or form," she said. "No shape, or form? If it can't be seen then why is the archer standing guard in the forest," Inu-Yasha blurted out. "I think Miroku's right. Something is amiss." "How does the archer know what he is firing at? The boy told us Hitori has been trained to distinguish sounds of movement. If the beast has no form, then it has no sound. Furthermore, the archer has no purpose," Miroku said. "I think someone is leading this whole village on a wild goosechase for something that isn't real," Inu-Yasha said. "What do you suppose we do," Sango said, holding onto the string of her boomerang. "Get ready for a fight," Inu-Yasha said, lowly growling.  
  
That night, Inu-Yasha had set up a trap for the night monster. "Are you sure this will work," Sango asked, crouching behind him in the snow. They were hidden behind a pile of wood. "From what you told me about the priestess, her temper was short and to the point. If I had been fighting a creature and had been chanting countless hours to ward off the beast to no avail, I would have been relieved if anyone offered me help. She was not relieved, more like annoyed that you asked what the purpose was for her to continue. It makes her look suspicious." Miroku walked up behind them. He caught the end of what Inu-Yasha had said. "I went to the edge of the village where Natori showed me where the priestess had been putting up tailsmans. We decided to go when Fuyu was chanting on the other side of the village." "And," Inu-Yasha asked, waiting for the creature, or hoax as he believed it, to show. "The tailsmans are fake. It took me a while to decipher them. I will give her an order of congragulations, though. They were well-done fakes." Miroku crouched behind them. "If the priestess was using fake tailsmans, then her incantations are also fake. Since the villagers have no way of knowing the proper incantations to use, they are an easy target. No wonder she was short- tempered when I asked her those questions." Sango held onto her boomerang. "Sango, there was no way of knowing that the priestess was a demon. We know now, but the villagers are still unaware," Inu-Yasha said. "Shh, I hear something," Sango silenced him. They turned qucikly to look behind them. The blind archer stood, his bow ready. "I want to help capture Fuyu as much as you do. She took my sight from me and I have a score to settle with her," Hitori told them. "You weren't born blind," Miroku asked, standing. "No, when the children started disappearing at night, the priestess approached me and told me she had heard a creature come into the village. She informed me of seeing the children being carried from their huts by an invisible creature. She further told me the only way to catch the beast was to rely only on sound, for by using sight, one would miss the target," Hitori continued. "I agreed to lose my sight in order to protect the village. That is when Fuyu told me she would put up tailsmans and perform incantations to ward the creature off during the day. What I couldn't figure out at the time, was why she hadn't been doing it all along." "She wanted you searching the forest at night so the village would be unprotected. That is when she chose to swipe the children," Miroku told him. He watched as Hitori lowered his head. "It isn ot your fault for being tricked. She used the love you feel for the children against you, thus making it your only concern." "And who would ever suspect a priestess? One who is sworn to protect and aid the village," Sango said. "Well, her plans are about to come to an end. That's why I asked Natori to be the bait," Inu-Yasha said, unsheathing Tetsuiga. "You asked Natori to be bait?! Inu-Yasha, that's like asking Nauki," Sango said as she hit him upside the head. "Why do you think I gave him a dagger? Natori was willing to do it," he said as he rubbed his head. "I still can't believe you," Miroku said, sighing some. Hitori interrupted them. "She's here." His voice lowered. "I can hear her feet crunching against the snow. Fuyu is not wearing any sandels." "What direction is she in," Inu-Yasha asked lookiing at him. "She's fourty feet from the entrance, walking slowly, with caution," Hitori said. "Alright then," Inu-Yasha rose. "Lets put her in her place!"  
  
"I can't believe he went without me," Kagome said looking down. "Or that he left Nauki so quickly." "Ye know Inu-Yasha, Kagome. He's always prepared to look for shards of the Sacred Jewel. Who knows what trouble he has ran into. It has been almost three days," Kaede said, feeding Nauki. "Three days?" "Aye. Do not worry, my child. Miroku and Sango are with him," she said. "Mah-ma, I make dump-wings," Nauki said, crawling out of Kaede's lap. She went and retrieved the large bowl to show her. Kagome smiled. "You made sweet dumplings all by yourself?" Nauki nodded, handing her a big one. Kagome bit into it. "These are really good. You could sell these at scalper prices." Kagome blinked. "Nauki, you're not going to eat one?" Nauki tilted her head. She had never had them before. "What it wike?" "They're sweet. Full of nuts and berries. I can't believe you've never had them before," Kagome said. "Here." Kagome broke off a piece and put it into the girl's mouth. Nauki chewed it. It tasted soft and she liked the berries a lot. The child opened her mouth again, pointing to it. Kagome gave her some more. "I hope Inu-Yasha is alright," Kagome said. She stared off thinking as she fed Nauki.  
  
Natori lay very still on the pallet, his face under the sheet as he listened. His heart began to race as he heard someone enter the hut. The boy grasped the dagger Inu-Yasha had given him for protection. He wanted to run, his mind racing to the night monster that had claimed the lives of the missing children. Natori closed his eyes tightly. He knew he couldn't foil the plan. If he did, they would have no hope in catching the demon. The thing came closer, its body slow, agile. Natori could hear it sniffing the air. His body tensed. Slowly, he moved his hands to his mouth to muffle the sound of his teeth chattering. The creature dug its talons into the floor, wood cracking. It could sense that he was awake. He had to be brave for his rescurers. They would come if the beast attacked him. At least, he hoped they would. Natori wanted to turn around, to see the creature with his own eyes, but he was too afraid. "Come out, child," the voice called. Natori's ears weren't focusing right. They couldn't be! The voice was soothing, calm, much like the priestess, Fuyu who protected the village. Was it really her? Was she protecting him? He turned around slowly, his eyes focusing in the dark. No, it wasn't her! The thing that stood before him was a dark creature with talons as long as his arms, its teeth glittering in the night. As it craned its neck upwards, the roof cracked against the pressure. "Come out little one," it called soothingly. Its milky eyes hypnotized him, glowing as Natori looked into them. The boy could not control his body. He felt himself getting up, his body obeying the demon that stood in the hut. Natori felt as if he was in a dream. This wasn't happening! The demon was smiling at him as he walked towards her, his mind was alert to what was going on, but his body was under her control. The demon beast lowered her head, walking backwards as her eyes were fixed on his. If she broke the link between them, the boy would alert the village. The beast could not afford to lose her catch under such predicaments. Natori walked with her out of the hut. She was leading him away from the village. "That's far enough," Inu-Yasha said. He held the Tetsuiga at ready, his eyes narrowed. "Let the boy go. Your fight is with me!" The demon held her gaze firmly on Natori. "I do not fight runts," the demon said calmly, soothingly. She did not take her eyes away from the child. Inu-Yasha was no threat to her. "Runt?! Who the hell are you calling a runt you overgrown weasel!" Inu-Yasha started to run at her. He jumped, raising the Tetsuiga over his head. The demon's back began to bubble, gases popped against her skin. When he came within a few feet of her ready to slice her in half, the demon's back erupted. Black tentacles shot out at him, grabbing him. The demon smiled faintly. Inu-Yasha struggled as she held him firmly in place above the ground. "What the..?" One tentacle swiped the Tetsuiga away from him. *Dammit!* He kicked his legs to no avail. "What kind of a creature abducts children to feed on their souls?! You're nothing more than a coward!" "Coward am I? For your information dog demon, I am not the one who desires the youth of children to survive," the demon told him. "I am nothing more than a deliverer." She flung Inu-Yasha, sending him hurling against a tree. The back of his head hit, knocking him unconscious. "Inu-Yasha!" Sango came runnning out of the woods, her boomerang at the ready. "Hirokutsu!" Sango flung the large boomerang at the beast. The demon was struck in the back of the head. The second the beast blinked her eyes in pain, the link between her and Natori was broken. The boy blinked his eyes. "I...I can move!" He looked up, his eyes focusing on the large talons and teeth of the beast. He yelled, then ran away from it. The demon was not happy at losing her catch. She turned around, moving her long arms, talons at the ready. She sliced at Sango, but the young woman avoided it. She deflected the blows with her sword. "You are going to pay for that!" Hitori's arrow shot out from the trees, catching the beast off guard. The demon screamed in pain, her head examining the arrow that was sticking out of her wrist. "When attacking a foe, you should always survey the area around you. For depending only on your reflexes and abilities against one opponent is foolish." Hitori walked out of the forest, his eyes narrowed. He could not see the beast, but he could smell the foulness. He walked in her direction, his mind thinking. He had heard what the beast had said about being a deliverer. If she was not the one who was stealing the youth, then who was it? Inu-Yasha groaned. "Uh,..." He moved his arms slowly, his head lifting from the snow. Grabbing his head, Inu-Yasha opened his eyes to see Hitori walking towards the beast. "Nice shot," he said gruffly, getting up slowly. The beast pulled the arrow out of its wrist. The arrow had shattered the small bones in it. She groaned in pain, backing away from the blind archer. "Who are you working for," Sango yelled, holding Hirokutsu at the ready. She narrowed her eyes. Natori came and stood behind her, his small hands grabbing onto her waist, afraid. Before the demon could explain to them that she had been made a deal to snatch the children, she grabbed her head, groaning. Her ears flattened, mouth turned downwards in a frown. Someone was invading her head. Whoever it was did not want her to answer Sango. Sango raised a brow. She moved back some, her hand grabbing onto Natori's wrist. "Move back. Something is attacking that creature besides us." "Looks like who she is working for doesn't want her to tell us who that is," Inu-Yasha said walking towards Sango slowly, still holding his head. "Are you alright," Sango asked. She could see the large bump forming on the side of his head. "Yeah," Inu-Yasha answered, groaning slightly. The demon began to move away from them, shaking her head. In the midst of her agony, she had dropped Tetsuiga. Hitori retrieved it. He walked over to them, holding the handle out for Inu-Yasha to grab. "Do you propose we follow her," he asked as Inu-Yasha sheathed the sword. "I'm not sure. If the deal has been broken, the beast will not go back to the one who employed her. It would be better for her to retreat to where she came from, until she is called upon again," Sango said watching as the demon ran from them. "I wonder why Fuyu said the beast was invisible and had sent me off into the forest to look for it, when it kept appearing here," Hitori said angrily. "I still believe the priestess is the one behind this," Inu-Yasha said. "Even though she wasn't the one going into the hut to snatch Natori, you did say that you heard her footsteps approaching." Hitori nodded. "I would have to say she was scouting for us, then sent the beast in to grab Natori." "Sounds reasonable," Sango said. "What do we do now?" "I say we go to the priestess' hut. If she is not the one doing this, then she will be asleep. If she is the one doing this, she will not be there. She will be waiting for the beast to retrieve the boy," Hitori said. They both nodded. 


	11. The Demonic Miko

Chapter 11  
  
The door to the priestess' hut opened with a loud slam. Miroku and Sango narrowed their eyes at Inu-Yasha. They were suppose to be quiet... Inu-Yasha paid them no heed as he walked up to the pallet on the floor. He sniffed the air, but did not smell Fuyu's scent. "She's not here." "Then who is that asleep," Sango asked. Inu-Yasha unsheathed the Tetsuiga. He pointed the blade at the pallet. Aiming it carefully, he sliced through it. Their eyes widened as stuffing cluttered to the floor. They had been tricked. "She knew we were coming," Inu-Yasha said, his eyes downcast, examining the pallet for further evidence. "Or that someone would eventually find out," Miroku said. "Someone such as myself has to prepare for caution when working a plan through," Fuyu said from the shadows. She opened her eyes as they focused on her location. Her eyes gleamed bright yellow. "Pity that you have managed to foil my plans, half-demon," she said bitterly as she walked out from the shadows. Her clothes flowed around in an eerie sense. Miroku kept his guard up as the rest of the group followed. Sango glanced around quickly for any of traps. She noticed that Hitori was missing as well as Natori. She wondered for a brief moment where they could have gone. The priestess walked towards them with no threat. She did not percieve any of them to be harmful, even though Inu-Yasha's famous sword, Tetsuiga was drawn and held at the ready. Fuyu stood before him, her eyes focusing on his face rather than his weapon. She smiled coldly, the blood running through her body calling out to him. Inu-Yasha did not know what was happening. She was calling him, but not in way he would have expected. Her body was longing for his blood. It wanted to bond with his so she could remain young and beautiful. As Inu- Yasha's eyes looked into hers, he was lost to her. He knew what was happening around him as if it were a dream. He could not feel his body. Sango watched in horror as Fuyu touched Inu-Yasha's face. She kissed him deeply, her nails trailing down his face. Sango tried to move, in order, to protect him. She found that her body was frozen stiff. Her eyes were the only things that could move.Sango looked to Miroku in agony. He, too, was frozen as she was. As Fuyu kissed him, her nails started to dig into one side of his face. Blood treackled down his cheek as she broke the kiss. "Your blood will run deep and bond with mine in ways no man, or demon has experienced." She smiled coldly again. Inu-Yasha's heart raced. He was not able to move and it was utterly pointless to try. Whatever Fuyu was, she was a strange demon that he had never encountered before. Inu-Yasha's mind raced to Kagome's shinning face. He did not want to lose her. His heart began to call out to her. *Kagome!* As Fuyu opened her hand, catching his blood in her palm, Inu-Yasha thought more about the little girl he had rescued from the snow covered forest. *Nauki, I'm sorry Little One...I wanted to watch you grow up...*  
  
Nauki opened her eyes from where she lay on the pallet. Someone was calling her. The child sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Papa," she said softly, blinking her eyes as she yawned. She looked around the area, but did not see him anywhere. The girl tilted her head. It wasn't his voice that was calling her, it was his heart. She kicked the blanket off of her, then tip-toed to the door. Kaede was sleeping soundly. Nauki made her way outside. The cold air hit her face, but the child paid it no mind. She walked further away from the hut, following the pulse of Inu-Yasha's heartbeat. He was very far away, probably two days travel. She stopped, whimpering. "Papa," she said again. Nauki blinked, her purple eyes looking through the snow. Even though she was small, Nauki could feel an evil energy that had a hold of her papa. It was tightening its grasp around him.  
  
The girl's heart sunk. She wasn't there to protect him like she had promised. "Weave my papa awone!" Nauki crouched down some, flexing her arms. She closed her eyes, then leaned back, her heart opening. She was calling to him.  
  
Inu-Yasha felt Nauki's heart calling out to him. He couldn't explain it. His eyes widened more as Fuyu drained the blood from his wrist. She was gathering it into a large bowl to drink it. *Li-ttle...One..?* Inu-Yasha knew it was Nauki. The girl had somehow sensed that he was thinking about her. "Do not worry half-demon, I will not let your blood go to waste. It will empower me to become more powerful and more beautiful," the fake priestess told him. She looked up at him. His mind was eased a little, she could see that. Not knowing what could have prevailed an increase in his comfort, she rose narrowing her eyes. Inu-Yasha was looking past the demon, his mind fixed on his adopted daughter. She was drawing his attention elsewhere, so he would not be hypnotized by Fuyu. He smiled a little, the feeling coming back into his body. "You are nothing more than a fake," he told the priestess. "One that is heavily outdated." Fuyu grabbed his wrist. She snarled at him, showing the same fangs that the previous demon had had. The demon knew instantly that her spell was wearing off. If it was effecting him, then it was happening to the other two by the entrance. She could not afford to lose the blood she had gathered. Sango shook her head. Her head was hurting from the hypnotizing spell of the priestess. Miroku blinked his eyes, then held his staff in his hand. He ran straight for the fake priestess. Fuyu heard the monk coming towards her. She let go of Inu-Yasha's wrist, as the half-demon fell to the floor. Fuyu flung backwards, as she did the large bowl of blood dropped to the floor. Her eyes held shock and pain as her only chance of devouring the half-demon's blood had welded itself into nonexistence. Sango ran to Inu-Yasha. She went to her knees, wrapping her arms around him. The demonic priestess had drained enough blood to kill him. "Inu-Yasha?!" She lifted him up, his head laying against her shoulder. His eyes were closed. Miroku threw tailsmans at the priestess. She tried to avoid them, but was hit with one right on the forehead. He covered his ears as she let out a high-pitched scream. "Sorry, priestess, but these tailsmans are real!" Fuyu tried to come at him, her nails flexed for his throat. They had grown to the size of a child's arm. Her revenge came at a standstill when Miroku dodged her. She was infuriated. "Your defense is lacking in the ways of a demon. One can assume that you have not fought much. Often depending on the defenses and attacks of your underlings," he said as he stretched his arm out. His staff tripped the priestess. She fell flat to the floor, snarling. Before she could get up, Miroku raised the staff over his head. "I shall banish you to the darkest depths of the demon world for your insolence and petty trickery!" With one large swoop, he brought down the end of the staff onto the priestess' head. Sango watched as the demon's skull split in two. Her head opened up, spilling forth the evil spirit that once held the flesh of the previous priestess. She watched in disbelief as the spirit lifted into the air, its blackened form evaporting above the body. Miroku breathed hard, standing back. He looked back to the shock on Sango's face and the unconscious Inu-Yasha. He walked to her, kneeling down. "Is he alright?" "I'm not sure. She managed to drain a lot of blood from him." Sango began to wrap Inu-Yasha's wrist. She sighed sadly. "What do you propose brought him out of the trance?" "I'm not sure. Whatever it is effected him enough to snap him out of it. When he wakes up, we should ask him," Miroku said. He bent down, grabbing Inu-Yasha's arms. Miroku slung him over his back, the half-demon's long hair almost touching the ground. As they exited the hut of the priestess, Natori came running towards them. He was breathing hard. "Wh-What happened," he asked out of breath. "We found the leader of the demon who tried to snatch you," Sango said. She bent down, looking at the boy. "It was the priestess like Inu- Yasha had thought." The boy looked down. Natori had had so much hope for his village. His life would be ever changed from that day. "We tracked the other demon to see where it would go," the boy said. "Hitori followed it far enough away then struck it with his arrows. He said that we could not afford for it to retreat in case there were more of them." "Wise decision," Miroku said. "Where is the archer so that we may thank him?" "He went to the entrance where the path of the warning is placed. Hitori said it should be removed," Natori said. "You are a brave little boy, Natori. I know your parents are proud of you for helping us," Sango said. She smiled at him, then nodded. "It's time for you to rest now. You've earned it." Natori nodded back, then ran to his hut. He had no reason to fear the night monster anymore. As they walked out of town, Kirara shifted into her larger form so Miroku wouldn't have to carry Inu-Yasha. "Thanks, Kirara. He might not like to admit it, but he's heavy," Miroku said rotating his shoulder joint. "Sango, you don't have to walk. I can walk beside Kirara for a ways while you sleep." She nodded her thanks as she heaved herself up, placing her hands on Inu-Yasha's back so he wouldn't fall off. Miroku eyed Hitori walking towards them. He stopped. The archer stopped as well, hearing their footprints. "We want to thank you for your help," he said. "No, it is I who should be thanking you. If you hadn't of disobeyed the warning, who knows how many more children Fuyu would have slain," Hitori said griefly. "We will be in debt with you for the rest of our lives. I just wish there was some way I could repay you for your kindness and generosity." His eyes shifted to the half-demon who was laying unconscious on Kirara. "What happened to your friend? Did he get attacked by the priestess?" "Fuyu drained Inu-Yasha of a great amount of blood. She was going to use his demonic blood to become more powerful," Sango said tiredly, looking down at her friend sadly. "She hypnotized all of us with some kind of force. We couldn't move any of our limbs, but our minds were awake to what she was doing," Miroku said. "If what you say is true, then how did you escape?" Hitori leaned on his bow. "Inu-Yasha snapped out of the trance. Although, we aren't too sure what caused him to do that," Miroku said looking off as he sighed. "What are you going to do now that Fuyu has been destroyed," Sango asked. She pitied the archer because he had lost his sight to help his people. She wondered how he was going to go on with his life. "I have thought about it whilst walking towards the village. You have taught me great kindess and respect. I would like to aid the people in my village in whatever way I can. Whether it is protection, or comfort. That is all one needs to do," Hitori said. "I know my eyesight will never return again. A lesson I will have for the reminder of my life. But one does not need eyesight in order to find the goodness and hope in others." Sango smiled at him. She was glad that Hitori had found a way to be happy, instead of living in regret like those they had encountered over the years. As they parted ways, Sango's head dropped down, falling fast asleep.  
  
Sango awoke to a snowcovered plain early in the morning. The sun shinned brightly over their heads. She blinked her eyes letting them focus on the bright light. As she yawned, she noticed Miroku was still walking beside Kirara. "How long have you been walking?" "Since you fell asleep," Miroku said tiredly. He had let her sleep while he travelled. He glanced at her concerned look. "I'm alright. I'm used to travelling for long hours." "You haven't slept." Sango hopped down. "You can sleep on Kirara. Just lay your head on Inu-Yasha's back," she said, pulling his arm. "I'm...not...a pillow," Inu-Yasha said gruffly. He opened his eyes slowly looking at the two of them weakily. It had only been ten hours since the blood was drained out of his body. Even he hated to admit how weak he still was. Kirara stopped. Sango walked up to Inu-Yasha. She put the back of her hand on his forehead. He didn't have a fever or anything, just weak. Sango was kind of surprised he let her touch him. Usually Inu-Yasha was withdrawn from them slightly, not allowing anyone to touch him. Taking the opportunity, she lifted his chin up and tilted his head a bit to look at the long scratch on his cheek. Fuyu had dug her nails into his flesh deeply. "Does it hurt?" She touched it lightly. Inu-Yasha flinched a little. "No," he lied. "'Inu-Yasha, what brought you out of Fuyu's trance," Miroku said hopping onto Kirara. The twenty-year-old half-demon looked away from them as Sango let his chin go. He didn't know how to answer it. They waited. They wanted to know. He was the one responsible for helping break the spell. "I heard...Nauki calling me..." "Calling you?" Sango tilted her head. She didn't understand. She remembered Miroku had said that Nauki spoke to Inu-Yasha in his dreams. "In a dream?" Inu-Yasha shook his head slowly as he looked at the ground. "No,...I...don't know how to explain it...I felt.....her heart calling me." He didn't care if they believed him or not. Inu-Yasha knew what she sensed. The child had been trying to protect him from the distance between them. Miroku looked at Inu-Yasha. He didn't want to say his friend was utterly mad. So far, Inu-Yasha had been correct about Nauki. Whatever the connection was between Inu-Yasha and Nauki would have to be found out. He, personally, still believed the girl was an angel. "Kirara, do you think you could get us home by tonight," Sango asked as she got behind Miroku. Miroku was slowly falling asleep, his head resting on Inu-Yasha's back. Kirara nodded, understanding. She ran then jumped into the air. The creature flew with all of her might towards Kaede's hut. Sango held onto Miroku so he wouldn't fall off. She noticed Inu-Yasha didn't seem to be minding that Miroku's head was laid on his back. *If he can truely sense the girl, then Nauki can sense him, too. That means that she is looking out for him, even though, they are at a great distance from each other. What if she is an angel like Miroku and Kaede imphasize? Will Inu-Yasha turn her out because of it? Miroku told me that Inu-Yasha does love Nauki and plans on raising her. Maybe she is good for him. He is already changing. I wonder if he even knows it.* Sango looked off, thinking to herself as Kirara flew.  
  
Late that night, Kagome was trying her best to get Nauki to go to sleep. "It's alright, Nauki. Inu-Yasha will be back soon." She held the girl by the waist as Nauki scream-cried and kicked her legs at full force. Kagome knew the child was not going to go to bed willingly. It had been four days. The longest time Inu-Yasha and the girl had been apart. Nauki shook her head, crying. "Pa..pa....Ehhhh eh eh...Papa....." She was fighting Kagome for all it was worth. She was tired of cooking and helping Kaede. Kagome only came in the afternoon to entertain her, and she was bored with it. She couldn't go outside to play because of the snow. Nauki still didn't have any sandals. Kagome turned the girl around to face her. She held onto her, then started to bounce her up and down. "Shhh sh sh. It's o.k. It's o.k." Kagome didn't know what to do. "Kagome, thee child is not going to sleep until Inu-Yasha comes back," Kaede said from the other room. She stirred the fire. Kagome sighed as Nauki continued to cry softly. "Nauki," Kaede called. The girl looked at her with tears in her eyes. "Ye papa will be back soon, child. I know ye are upset, but crying and fighting Kagome won't make Inu-Yasha show up any sooner." Nauki whimpered. She stuck her thumb in her mouth, sucking on it hard as she tried to comfort herself. Trying to make amends with Kagome, she laid her head on her chest. Kagome sighed some watching the girl. Kagome sat down across from Kaede, holding Nauki. Within about thirty minutes, Nauki was passed out on her, still sucking on her thumb as Kagome cradled her. Taking their freedom, Kaede settled down to sleep while Kagome sat up sleeping, her head lowered. Inu-Yasha decided to walk to the hut so Sango and Miroku could go rest at their hut. He entered slowly, looking around quietly. Kaede was well asleep and Kagome had fallen asleep cradling Nauki. He smiled a little, then walked up to Kagome. He blinked his eyes, then leaned in, rubbing his cheek against hers. Kagome stirred a little. Inu-Yasha wrapped his arms around her, pulling her and Nauki towards him. "Shhh," he said softly. He laid his head on hers, drifting off to sleep. Without realizing it, Inu-Yasha had a family. Outside the birds began to chirp as the snow started to drip off of the trees. 


End file.
